Iraq’s prime minister says he will continue diplomacy to contain crisis in Syria

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said Friday that his country is pushing for diplomatic efforts to “contain the crisis in Syria, as it clearly has implications for Iraqi security.”

His comments came ahead of a meeting between top diplomats from Baghdad, Damascus and Tehran to discuss developments in Syria, which is undergoing a shock offensive in which rebels have seized key cities from the government.

Islamist-led rebels were based in Syria about five kilometers (three miles) outside the western city of Homs, the country’s third-largest city and a former bastion of anti-government protests.

In a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday, Sudani reiterated that “Iraq continues its intensive diplomatic efforts to contain the crisis in Syria, as it clearly has implications for Iraqi security.”

“Iraq’s official, firm stance is to support the unity, security and stability of Syria,” Sudani added, according to a statement from his office.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein expressed “deep concern” about developments in the neighboring country during a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Bassam al-Sabbagh.

The two ministers stressed “the importance of continuing consultation and coordination between the two countries in order to avoid a repeat of previous experiences and to work to protect regional security.”

According to Syria’s official news agency SANA, Sabbagh referred to “the need to mobilize Arab and regional efforts to counter this terrorist threat… and prevent it from spreading to other countries.”

Both Iraq and Syria have barely recovered from the takeover of large areas in both countries by the Islamic State group and the subsequent wars to drive them out.

Iraq’s Defense Ministry said Monday it is sending armored vehicles to bolster security along the country’s 600-kilometer-long porous border with Syria.

On Thursday, the Syrian rebel leader, known by his pseudonym Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, called on Sudanese to keep his country away from the war in Syria and to prevent armed groups from supporting Bashar al-Assad’s forces.

Faleh al-Fayyad, the leader of the former Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitaries now integrated into the regular Iraqi army, said on Friday that “the crisis in Syria is an internal event… and Iraq has no place in it.” .

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