Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein speaking to Rudaw's Sangar Abdulrahman on March 14, 2022. Photo: Rudaw
Rudaw’s Sangar Abdulrahman spoke with the Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Monday in Erbil, discussing the recent Iranian missile attack that targeted the Kurdish capital earlier this week.
The following is the translated transcript of the interview.
Rudaw: Together with Mr. Fuad Hussein, we will have a short interview concerning the missile attacks on Erbil. Mr. Hussein, what was the stance of the Iraqi foreign ministry and that of the foreign minister concerning the Iranian missile attack on Erbil?
The Iraqi foreign ministry's position was clear. First, we issued a statement condemning the attack. Second, the foreign ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador to Iraq, sending the message across to them that such attacks are unacceptable. And today together with his excellency, the prime minister of Iraq, the defense, and interior ministers, we went to the site of the incident. It is clear [the site attacked] belongs to an Iraqi Kurdish businessman. He is well-known and everyone knows him. So, it is clear this is a residential place. The claims saying the site was an Israeli base had no factual grounds. It was untrue. On a natural basis, and through our diplomatic channels with Iran, we are trying to address this matter, because, at the end of the day, Iran is our neighbor. Both countries enjoy strong and good relations. In a diplomatic manner, we will tell Iran what our perspective is. Tomorrow, a committee will come to launch an investigation into this matter. This is a military and security committee.
An Iraqi committee?
Yes. They will submit a report to the Iraqi government. On the basis of the outcome of the report, we will once again talk about this subject with the Iranians. We hope such incidents will never occur again because it is indeed very dangerous. It is dangerous, first for the people of this region. It is also dangerous for the sovereignty of Iraq. Iran itself says we [Iran] are friends with Iraq and we do not want to face issues with Iraq. Iraq and Iran have suffered a bitter experience of war. They do not have to resort to the idea of firing missiles to resolve their issues. We need to engage in dialogue. The door of dialogue is open and God willing, we will put these matters forward to the Iranian side, in the near future.
The spokesperson of the Iranian foreign ministry says they have already warned Iraq of the existence of Israeli bases in both direct and indirect ways. Have you received such warnings in the past?
He did not say they warned the [Iraqi] foreign ministry, he said Iraq. And I do not know whether or not they have warned Iraq's security bodies. I am not aware of this matter, because this [the site they have attacked] is not a base. If Iran has evidence, they can present it to the Iraqi federal government in order for an investigation to be launched into it. And tomorrow the group [committee] that will come from Baghdad [to Erbil] will investigate it and they will announce the result, be it baseless or not.
What was Mustafa al-Kadhimi's stance? Today he saw the impacted sites himself and later met with the Kurdish leadership?
Well, it was clear. He shares our stance. When the Foreign Ministry issues a statement or takes a stance, it is not the viewpoint of the Foreign Ministry alone, but the prime minister and the government of Iraq as well. He has the same opinion.
Does he think the claims are propaganda being made up against the Kurdistan Region?
We do not talk about propaganda. If they [Iran] have wrong information, we have to speak out that their information is untrue in this regard. We need to tell them this information is wrong.
Do you have a plan to lodge a lawsuit at the United Nations against Iran on their repeated violations of the sovereignty of Iraq?
In the coming days, we will be holding a meeting and then we will wait for the committee to get back to us... We will hold a meeting of the Iraqi government. We will wait to see what the result of the investigating committee will be. Based on the result, we will take additional steps forward.
Will investigations conducted at a national level alone?
It will be on a domestic level because it is related to Iraq. Let's wait to see what the outcome of the report will be, and we will deal with this issue based on the results.
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