By Ali Jawad and Haydar Karaalp
BAGHDAD (AA) – Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said his government will not make dollar-dominated transactions with Iran — in line with U.S. sanctions — while refraining from implementing the full raft of American penalties imposed on Tehran.
Al-Abadi made the assertion at a Monday news conference following a weekly Cabinet meeting.
Last week, al-Abadi came in for criticism — both by Iranian officials and Iraqi Shia political blocs — after announcing his intention to implement all of Washington’s sanctions on Tehran.
Iraq’s Al-Fatah coalition, known to be close to Iran, had accused the prime minister of forgetting the support that Iran gave his government in 2014 when the Daesh terrorist group overran the northern city of Mosul.
“We will not conduct dollar-dominated transactions [with Iran], but we will not entirely commit to the U.S. sanctions,” al-Abadi told reporters on Monday.
Last week, the U.S. re-imposed a first round of economic sanctions on Iran, which mainly target the country’s banking sector.
The sanctions are intended to hinder Tehran's acquisition of U.S. currency; its precious metals trade; bank transactions denominated in the Iranian rial; activities related to Iran's sovereign debt; and the country’s automotive sector.
In a recent tweet, U.S. President Donald Trump said: “Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States. I am asking for WORLD PEACE, nothing less!”
Referring to his next week visit to Ankara, the Iraqi premier said Iraq would not allow any attack from its territory on Turkey.
“Besides sharing of water resources between Turkey and Iraq, topics like economy, investment and security will be discussed, ” the premier said.
“Turkey is our neighbor and we will not allow any attack from Iraqi soil on Turkey, ” he added.
