Zebari to Asharq al-Awsat: Hearing Tehran’s candid explanation of the role of militias
Former Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshar Zebari does not believe that relations between Iraq and the United States will completely collapse, but he is concerned about the security and economic implications.
Zebari, who served as foreign minister for 11 years, also expressed concern about interference, monopolistic policies and attempts to undermine Iraq’s Kurdistan region, which was established under the current constitution.
Additionally, Zebari revealed that key Iranian leaders have invited Iraq to join the so-called Axis of Resistance, an informal Iranian-led political and combat coalition in West Asia and North Africa.
Below is a summary of Zebrari’s thoughts on some of the questions posed by Asharq Al-Awsat.
Are you worried about the future of Iraq?
Yes, I’m worried. Sadly, despite our efforts, Iraq has not been stable since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. It lacks the political, security, and social stability needed to rebuild after years of war. I’m worried because we still don’t have a proper government in place.
Is what we are witnessing now a fight to get American soldiers out of Iraq?
This is a power struggle between regional powers such as Iran and the United States due to conflicts in Gaza and the Middle East. Although the focus is on the withdrawal of U.S. forces, they remain necessary for regional security.
I was involved in negotiating the U.S. military withdrawal agreement. Iraq’s security needs remain, but the issue has become politicized.
An attempt by Congress to expel them on February 10 failed due to lack of support. This issue rests not only with parliamentarians but also with the government.
Withdrawing or remaining U.S. forces is related to Iraq’s international obligations, which in turn is related to Iraq’s national economy.
Therefore, this issue cannot be viewed one-sidedly.
Many countries in the region host foreign military bases, including the United States as well as the United Kingdom and France.
However, this was done with the consent of these governments. These governments are still sovereign and their relationships are institutionalized.
We in Iraq also have regulations regarding this relationship. However, the issue is largely politicized.
Can Iraq cope with a break with the US?
Relations between the United States and Iraq are extremely difficult as they are tied to international, regional, and economic issues.
Therefore, withdrawal is difficult. All countries need help.
In the Strategic Framework Agreement that we negotiated with them, they provided many opportunities to support Iraq’s economy, security, and capabilities. Unfortunately, however, the Iraqi government has not taken full advantage of these opportunities.
You were Iraq’s top diplomat for 11 years. Did the US seek a permanent military base in Iraq?
This discussion took place during the transition period between the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations.
The main question was: What will the future hold for these forces?
The idea was that Washington had accomplished its mission, overthrown the regime and laid the foundations for a new regime. It helped Iraq create a constitution, so let Iraqis take matters into their own hands.
However, the United States believed it was necessary to maintain a limited presence, and this became the basis for negotiations.
We began negotiations in 2007 and finalized a withdrawal agreement in 2011 under the Obama administration.
At the same time, Iraq signed the Strategic Framework Agreement for Friendship, Development, and Economic Cooperation with the United States.
Many of the current U.S. military leaders also have experience in Iraq, and the debate was intense among military leaders who served in Iraq. They worried that a sudden withdrawal without leaving some troops behind to help would jeopardize U.S. interests, whether counterterrorism or other ambitious powers in Iraq.
However, President Obama did not heed this advice and chose to withdraw. I spoke to him for about 45 minutes.
What did you discuss?
He was in the middle of a campaign, and Iraq was a major issue at the time. John McCain was the Republican candidate, and both sides had deep concerns about Iraq.
President Obama called me while campaigning in a state. I told him that I believed Iraq had not fully recovered. It was not yet stable due to terrorist threats and security challenges. Therefore, we did not support a sudden and complete withdrawal.
We needed their support and help training our troops, but Obama took that as a no and emphasized that he was here to end America’s involvement in foreign wars.
At the time, a financial crisis was occurring in the world market.
During this time, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki believed that a withdrawal was inevitable. He began to lean toward further domination and control, straying from the constitution, democracy, and freedom, and targeting Sunni leaders.
This caused great discontent among the Sunni community. Meanwhile, ISIS expanded its influence in Syria and later moved into Iraq.
At a time when the government claimed it had enough troops and no need for foreign aid, it saw its collapse as ISIS captured Mosul and marched on to other cities.
For this reason, we asked for help from the United States, and we also asked for help in Erbil and Samara.
The stationing of the U.S. military and the formation of the International Coalition Against Terrorism were based on our agreement.
Any changes to this understanding require the consent of the signatories and a notice period of at least one year. Given the upcoming US elections and instability in the region, it is unlikely that Iraq will be able to end this relationship now.
The story of Iran’s power of attorney creation
Can we say that the wars in the Red Sea, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon after the Al-Aqsa flood attack on October 7 confirm Iran’s control over this part of the Arab world?
Iran has significant influence in the region, from Yemen to Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. They openly support the Axis of Resistance.
I met with Qasem Soleimani, the late commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, Ali Larijani, former speaker of the Iranian parliament, Ali Akbar Velayati, former foreign minister, and others.
We visited Tehran and discussed the issue with the local president and prime minister.
One of their demands is: “Kurds and Shiites have overcome the dictatorship, so you should not trust world powers or the Americans. You should join the axis of resistance.”
Who said this?
These are the words of the three leaders I mentioned earlier. I answered that I did not want to participate in any new conflicts or wars. We are tired of fighting and want to rebuild our country. They want us to resist those who freed us, but it makes no sense.
However, as ISIS spread, al-Sistani called for the defense of Iraq, leading to the formation of the Popular Mobilization Forces.
However, the Iranians intervened and formed an Iranian-aligned militia. Now these forces are real and perhaps more powerful than the military.
The discussion delved into the story of Axis of Resistance. They argued that the Iranian regime faced threats from world powers and advocated the need to defend it by fighting foreign enemies and building an unconventional military.
Soleimani suggested relying on locally trained forces for irregular warfare. This approach is evident in the region, where Iran and its allied non-state groups play a key role.
There are different views on how to deal with these groups, with some advocating targeting their leaders and others suggesting silencing their activities. This debate continues.
In my view, recent events have the potential to change the political landscape in the Middle East in the same way that the 9/11 attacks changed international politics.
I had expected the conflict to extend beyond Gaza and the West Bank, but it has now spread to areas ranging from the Red Sea to northeastern Syria.
Concerns about the future of Iraqi Kurdistan
Are you worried about the future of Iraqi Kurdistan?
Yes, I’m very worried. Kurdistan was built on sacrifices, but now faces a major threat from the Iraqi Federal Court’s ruling. These decisions call into question the region’s constitutional recognition and autonomy.
The onslaught continues from various angles. On the security front, we see threats from attacks on refineries, air traffic, and foreign companies. The suspension of oil exports also cost Iraq billions of dollars, including to Kurdistan.
Interference is widespread, affecting elections and local budgets. Kurdistan can make its own decisions, but our independence means we can say no. This may not suit those who are used to submission.
While Kurdistan faces internal problems, our goal is to restore legitimacy through local elections. It was originally scheduled for February, but was postponed to May due to a court ruling. We are pushing for these elections to be held soon.
