Shafaq News / On Saturday, the Prime Minister of theKurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, expressed his concerns about the possibilityof Iraq getting involved in the ongoing regional conflict.
On the second day of the Peace and Security in the MiddleEast forum held in Duhok, PM Barzani said, "There is no doubt that weare concerned" about the Israeli threats to Iraq, adding, "We do notwant Iraq to become involved in this ongoing war in the region.”
He emphasized that “Iraq should play a constructive role insupporting peace and bridging differences between the conflicting parties, notfueling the flames of war or complicating issues and crises, as this does notserve the interests of the Iraqi people,” adding, "The Iraqi governmentmust prioritize the interests of its people."
As the Iraqi Islamic Resistance (IRI), an umbrella group ofIran-backed armed factions escalated its military actions against Israel,Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar blamed Iraq for the situation, assertingIsrael's right to self-defense. In response, Iraqi Commander-in-Chief MohammedShia Al-Sudani ordered a crackdown on unauthorized military activitiesfollowing Israeli threats against Iraq.
A government source revealed US pressure on Iraq to preventarmed factions from launching attacks on Israeli targets from Iraqi territory,warning that Israel might respond within Iraq. Israeli media reported thatIsrael’s strategy against Iraq could involve targeting infrastructure and keyfigures within Iran-backed Iraqi militias, particularly as these groups havesupported Palestinian resistance efforts in Gaza.
In another context, the Kurdish Prime Minister alsoexpressed concern over Iraq's reliance on oil as the country's sole source ofincome, stating that this is always problematic due to the volatility of oilprices.
He continued, "Here in the Kurdistan Region, we haveworked to diversify the economy and income sources. Iraq should also do thisand not rely solely on oil as a source of income."
Iraq, the second-largest oil producer in OPEC, heavilydepends on oil revenues. The hydrocarbons sector makes up the majority ofexport earnings and about 90% of government income. This heavy reliance leavesIraq highly exposed to changes in global oil prices.