Baghdad: Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein called the formation of the country's new government an 'internal matter,' stating that Baghdad considers the perspectives of international partners, particularly the US. Speaking during a meeting in Baghdad with US envoy Tom Barrack, Hussein emphasized the 'need to continue communication and coordination during the coming phase until the process of forming the Iraqi government is completed,' the Foreign Ministry mentioned in a statement cited by the state news agency INA.
According to Anadolu Agency, last month, the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shiite parties, announced the nomination of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for the premiership. The nomination, however, faced opposition from US President Donald Trump, who threatened to withdraw support from Iraq if Maliki is reinstated. Maliki's previous terms as prime minister, from 2006 to 2014, were marked by significant security challenges, including the rise of the ISIS (Daesh) terror group, which had seized large portions of the country before Iraq declared victory over it in 2017.
Under Iraq's power-sharing system, the presidency is occupied by a Kurd, the prime minister is a Shiite, and the speaker of parliament is a Sunni. During the meeting, Barrack expressed appreciation for the Iraqi government's initiative to transfer ISIS (Daesh) members from detention centers abroad to Iraqi prisons, 'as part of strengthening Iraq's sovereignty and assuming its legal responsibilities,' the statement noted.
Additionally, the meeting addressed the agreement between the Syrian government and the YPG/SDF terror group. Both Iraqi and US representatives expressed 'their support for this agreement and the need to adhere to its implementation, given its direct impact on enhancing security and stability in Syria.' On Monday, Baghdad announced the complete dismantling of the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria and the transfer of 22,000 of its residents to Iraq. Besides families of ISIS members, the camp sheltered thousands of Syrians and Iraqis who fled following the 2003 US invasion of Iraq and during Syria's internal conflict between 2011 and 2024.
Hussein and Barrack also discussed the Iranian-American relations and the ongoing nuclear negotiations between the two nations. The Iraqi foreign minister warned of 'the danger of any potential war breaking out and its repercussions for the entire region,' according to the statement. He reaffirmed Iraq's advocacy for a peaceful approach and its strong support for the forthcoming round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Geneva on Thursday, under Omani mediation.