Washington accuses Iran of “exploiting factions to steal Iraq’s resources” and rejects its role in stabilizing the country.
Washington accuses Iran of “exploiting factions to steal Iraq’s resources” and rejects its role in stabilizing the country.
2026-10-30
Shafaq News – Washington
The US State Department affirmed on Friday that Washington’s strategy towards Iraq is based on supporting its sovereignty and enhancing its security and economic stability, while stressing that Iran cannot play any role in achieving these goals, accusing Tehran of exploiting armed factions to seize the resources of the Iraqi people.
The American position came in response to a question posed by Shafaq News Agency to the US State Department regarding how to balance supporting Iraq’s security independence and economic stability on the one hand, and talking about Iranian influence and imposing border-related sanctions on the other.
A spokesperson for the US State Department told Shafaq News Agency that “the United States’ efforts to achieve stability in the region focus on ensuring that countries retain their sovereignty and their ability to achieve security through mutual economic prosperity.”
He added, “Our goal has not changed, and it is for an Iraq that enjoys sovereignty, security and prosperity, and is able to achieve the best for its people and contribute positively to the stability of the entire region.”
In a stance regarding Iranian influence in Iraq, the spokesman accused Tehran of using armed factions to achieve its interests at the expense of Iraqis, saying that “Iran is an untrustworthy party and has a long history of using Iraqi militias to steal the resources of the Iraqi people.”
The US State Department spokesman stressed that “Iran has no role to play in supporting Iraq’s sovereignty and economic stability.”
According to government officials, the United States is pressuring Iraq to restrict economic dealings with Iran and tighten control over border crossings, as part of the sanctions imposed by Washington on Tehran.
The closure of the Al-Shaib border crossing with Iran in Maysan province sparked local protests and demands for its reopening, amid warnings of the repercussions of the decision on trade. While Iraqi authorities attributed the closure to technical and security reasons, Tehran linked it to American pressure.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi had confirmed that a complete closure of the border with Iran does not serve the interests of either country, given the ongoing dispute over border procedures and trade relations between Baghdad and Tehran.
From: Mustafa Hashim
shafaq.com
