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FRANK26: "SUDANI STICKS HIS TONGUE AT PARLIAMENT AND TELLS THEM WE GOT 30 DAYS WITH THE GAS/ELECTRICITY"......F26
Al-Sudani's advisor denies any sanctions on Rafidain Bank and confirms continued gas supplies from Iran.
3/12/2025
The Prime Minister's advisor for foreign relations, Farhad Alaa al-Din, denied the existence of US sanctions on Rafidain Bank, while noting that the US exemption for gas imports from Iran remains in place.
"Iraq is a country well-versed in managing foreign affairs and has a legacy in this regard," Alaa Al-Din said in a televised interview followed by Al-Eqtisad News. He noted that "Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani's philosophy regarding foreign relations is to put Iraq's interests first, and from this, the country's foreign policy is built."
He added, "The path of the state and government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is based on the principle of putting Iraq's interests first."
Regarding Iraq's relationship with the United States, Alaa Al-Din noted, "We had excellent and distinguished relations with the previous US administration," noting that "the new US administration came with a set of promises to American voters, some of which were related to US foreign policy, including ending the so-called endless wars."
He explained that "the American letter we received does not contain the information circulating in the media," noting that "US Representative Joe Wilson tweeted more than 200 tweets in 15 months and did not mention Iraq even once."
He explained that "Joe Wilson attended a meeting with Al-Sudani and had not spoken about Iraq before January 13, but after that date, he began tweeting about Iraq daily," stressing that "the US authorities denied any connection to what Joe Wilson was saying about Iraq."
He pointed out that "the US Treasury Department denied any intention to sanction Rafidain Bank, and that American companies are working to restructure Rafidain Bank and there is no intention to sanction it," noting that "the Prime Minister is busy and does not care about Joe Wilson's tweets."
He stressed that "Iraq has not been a priority for America since 2011," stating, "We are working to change the American view that Iraq is not part of the Iranian file."
Regarding the US waiver on energy imports from Iran, he noted that "the waiver targeted electricity imports, but the gas waiver remains in place," noting that "Türkiye began importing gas from Turkmenistan via Iran after the implementation of US sanctions."
Regarding Iraq's relationship with China, he explained that "25% of Iraqi oil is purchased by China, and we have a significant stake in that country," noting that "Iraq's relationship with China and Russia is commercial, not political."
Regarding Iraq's relationship with Saudi Arabia, he noted, "Our relations with Saudi Arabia are at their best, and Saudi Arabia is not concerned about the development of Iraq's relationship with Qatar."
He stressed that "Iraq is returning to the Arab fold today more than ever before," noting that "Iraq has transformed from an arena of conflict into an arena for the convergence of nations."
He pointed out that "the path of development has transformed Iraq into a region where the interests of the countries of the region converge," stressing that "Iraq has played a calming role between Iran and America, particularly in Syria."