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Publish date16 Jan 2019 - 9:45
Story Code : 395582

Ties between Iran, Iraq's Kurdistan outlasts Trump: FM

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the Islamic Republic's ties with Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region are rooted in history and will outlast the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Ties between Iran, Iraq

Zarif made the remarks in an interview with Iraq's Kurdish-language Rudaw television network in the capital of Kurdistan, Erbil, on Tuesday when asked about Trump’s recent comments that he was unhappy about the Kurds' sale of oil to Iran.

The top Iranian diplomat emphasized that Trump has no place in Iran’s relationship with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

"It has nothing to do with Mr. Trump. Together with the Kurds, we have relations dating back centuries. These governments come and go,” Zarif said.

During a cabinet meeting at the White House in front of reporters on January 2, Trump said he was not happy that the Kurds were selling oil to Iran and claimed that he wanted to protect them either way.

“I didn’t like the fact that they’re selling the small (amount of) oil that they have to Iran, and we asked them not to sell it to Iran... We’re not thrilled about that. OK? I’m not happy about it at all,” the US president said.

In November, the Trump administration announced the re-imposition of the “toughest” sanctions ever against Iran's banking and energy sectors with the aim of cutting off the country's oil sales and crucial exports.

A first round of American sanctions took effect in August, targeting Iran's access to the US dollar, metals trading, coal, industrial software, and auto sector.

The Kurdistan Regional Government has said it would abide by decisions made by Baghdad regarding US sanctions on Iran.

/SR
https://taghribnews.com/vdcbwsbf5rhb9sp.4eur.html
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