Iraq's Foreign Minister warns of growing threat from ISIS

Speaking to The National in Munich, Iraq's top diplomat says changing regional dynamics require greater co-ordination between nations

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein expects that a military confrontation with ISIS will become necessary, and that the international community is increasingly recognising the need to act as the extremist group continues to regroup. This comes at a time when the Middle East is dealing with major changes, particularly since the fall of Bashar Al Assad’s regime in Syria last December.

In an exclusive interview with The National at the Munich Security Conference, Mr Hussein said that “the whole situation in the Middle East is now different”, and will require further co-ordination between countries in the region.

Mr Hussein and his government are closely following developments in Syria, with which Iraq shares an almost 600km border. Although Syria’s new President Ahmad Al Shara was previously imprisoned in Iraq for his ties to extremist groups, Mr Hussein said Baghdad hopes to co-ordinate with Damascus in “the collective fight” against ISIS, which Iraq considers to be the main threat from its neighbour.

“We consider ISIS as a threat, we don’t consider other groups as a threat to Iraq,” he said, describing the situation in Syria as “very complicated”.

“It’s complicated because there are various groups still in Syria, and various countries, armies of different countries. The Americans, the French, the Turkish army, the Russian base, and now the Israelis. And next to all these armies, you have got various groups. Hayat Tahrir Al Sham controls the largest area in Syria, but at the same time you have the north-east, which has been controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, and the north-west, which has been controlled by Turkmen forces. And of course, on the other side, the ISIS terrorist fighters are controlling that area.

We cannot wait for ISIS to once again reorganise themselves

“We are watching the Horan Valley. It starts from Deraa, in Syria, and ends in Al Anbar in Iraq. It is easy for ISIS terrorist fighters to enter in or near Deraa, and exit in Al Anbar, or the other way around.”

Iraq is working with Jordan to counter this threat, Mr Hussein said, and he expects to have talks with the US-led international coalition.

“We are going to have discussions with the coalition to strike ISIS, because we cannot wait for ISIS to once again reorganise themselves.”

ISIS, he said, has strengthened its position in Syria and equipped itself from weapons left by the Assad regime’s military. “So they are better equipped, better organised and many people have joined them. And according to our information, various leaders of ISIS from abroad also went back and joined them. Either we are going to attack, or they are going to prepare themselves to attack, because ISIS is an organisation that is based on attacking other societies. And I think that once again, the first target of ISIS will be Iraq.”

'Democracy is important for Syria, people fought for freedom'

Mr Hussein, who last week travelled to Paris to attend a summit on Syria, voiced hope that the new authorities in Damascus “will take the right steps so that they can have an inclusive political process”.

Otherwise, he warned, “conflicts and difficulties will remain in Syria. Stability in Syria is very important for Iraq. It is very much interlinked with Iraq."

Syria's Ahmad Al Shara visiting Idlib earlier this month. AFP

While he was reluctant to suggest how the new Syrian government should plan its political transition, Mr Hussein stressed that it is vital for all groups in the country to be represented, including Kurds, Alawites, Christians, Druze and others.

“The only way to solve these problems is to have a democratic system in place. Democracy is important for Syria, because people fought for freedom.”

He voiced concern at the new government’s silence regarding the details of the transition. “So far, we see no discussion of a democratic system. It will be important to have all these components on board, representative components, otherwise, there will be an unstable Syria. We don’t want that; that would affect us negatively.”

US policy on Gaza a 'main topic' for Arab Summit

In May this year, Baghdad will host the next Arab Summit. Mr Hussein confirmed that Mr Al Shara would be invited to the talks. “We are talking about hosting the summit. That means bringing together all leaders of Arab countries, and this means we are going to invite all leaders of Arab countries,” he said. “Of course, it is up to the leader to send another representative, but, in principle, we are inviting all of them.”

Mr Hussein said the summit would focus on finding solutions for the latest developments in the region. Palestine, he confirmed, will be among “the main topics, but also relations between Arab countries and ties with their neighbouring countries, Iran and Turkey, as well as the American policy towards the region”. The Arab world is facing the threat of the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank, especially with US President Donald Trump having repeatedly spoken of his plan to “own Gaza” and rebuild it.

Asked about Mr Trump’s proposal, Mr Hussein said: “The Palestinian question has to do with the Palestinians in the first place, but also with various countries surrounding Palestine – Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and other countries – along with Arab and Muslim countries.”

Iraq has suggested establishing a fund to support the reconstruction of Gaza, and Arab states have been working on a counterproposal to present to Mr Trump.

The Arab League is scheduled to meet in Cairo later this month. AFP

The Arab League is scheduled to meet in Cairo later this month, and Mr Hussein predicted that the gathering would result in “a common stance, a common position” being formulated.

“I think the Arab League will reject [Mr Trump’s] idea. But at the same time, we must have an alternative. Rejecting ideas is easy. But you to have an alternative,” he said. “We must be clear: Gaza has been destroyed. And the population of Gaza, they were suffering because of the war, but now they are suffering because of lack of services. So who’s going to build Gaza? And who is going to lead Gaza? What kind of authority is going to be there? All of these questions must be answered.”

Closer to home, Iraq has to contend with the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” policy towards Iran. Washington, Mr Hussein said, has already informed Baghdad that the US will no longer agree to waive sanctions to enable Iraq to buy Iranian gas. “The new decision means no gas from Iran, and that will affect our capacity. It also means no purchasing of Iranian electricity,” he added.

Iraq currently buys about 1,200 megawatts of electricity from Iran each year, and Iranian gas covers about 30 per cent of Iraq’s energy demand. “No Iranian gas means shortages of electricity. My Prime Minister [Mohammed Shia Al Sudani], our cabinet and myself are talking with various countries so that we can find a way to solve this problem,” Mr Hussein said. Iraq has approached Turkey, Jordan and Gulf countries in an effort to fill the void created by sanctions against Iran. Baghdad is also working on developing its own capacity, but Mr Hussein believes it will take two to three years to be able to meet the population’s needs.

'Pressure on Iran is increasing from Americans'

Alongside sanctions, Washington’s maximum pressure policy also involves taking measures against Iraqi armed groups allied with Iran. “The pressure on Iran is increasing from the American side, and we are a neighbouring country … so tension between Washington and Tehran affects us directly or indirectly. We are worried about that, to be honest,” Mr Hussein said.

“I am sure that the Iranians are studying the new developments in the Middle East, and I hope they will come up with a new policy … the only way to solve problems is through negotiation and dialogue, not through violence.

“All of us in Iraq – politicians as well as other groups – must take the major changes in the Middle East into consideration, but they must also take the new administration and new policy in Washington into consideration. Otherwise, we are going to face a difficult time.

“Taking all these things into consideration means that we must reorganise ourselves. We must have one voice, and that must be the voice of the state.”

Alluding to militias that refuse to come under the control of the government, Mr Hussein said that “all groups must be included under the responsibility of the government, not outside the government. And the government will decide any military or security issue”.

Iraq faces a major challenge in bringing the militias under the umbrella of the state, as several take their orders from Tehran. Mr Hussein warned that “they must work within the framework of government policy, otherwise we are going to face a difficult time”.