Ever since the first round of US sanctions on Iran went into force on Aug. 7, there has been no shortage of contradicting statements from Iraqi officials in local media outlets. Parties and militias have proclaimed their willingness to respect the sanctions at times; at other times, they have taken a condemning stance or expressed their dissatisfaction. This puzzling landscape reflects the Iraqi government’s confusion and inadequacy to take an independent and strong stand in a country that has long been the site of a power struggle between the United States and Iran.
One day before the sanctions began, Iraqi President Fuad Masum said in an interview with Alhurra TV channel, “The situation in Iraq and the nature of our relations with Iran makes it difficult for Iraq to comply with the sanctions imposed by Washington on Tehran.” Masum proceeded to stress again how difficult it is to implement those sanctions in conflicting phrasing.
