Iraqi Ambassador Says Iraq Willing To Help Bridge US-Iran Divide

Lukman Faily, Iraq’s newly appointed ambassador to the United States, says that, if asked, Iraq is willing to play a helpful role in US-Iran relations. Otherwise, Baghdad is keen to make clear that it is not party to the problems between Washington and Tehran.

“As to the US-Iranian relationship, that is a matter for the Iranians to resolve with the US. We shouldn’t be a party to that,” Faily said in an exclusive interview at the Iraqi Embassy in Washington.

“If you guys or the Iranians want us to be involved, we will be more than happy to participate in trying to bring our guests together and trying to facilitate,” he added.

The New York Times reported on July 25 that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki recently told US officials that Iran would be interested in direct talks with the US on Iran’s nuclear program and that Iraq would be willing to play a role. Iraq helped facilitate a series of direct talks between US and Iranian officials in Baghdad in 2007.