Iraq Says Israeli Role in Gulf Flotilla Unacceptable

August 12: Iraq has rejected any Israeli participation in a naval force to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, at the heart of tensions with Iran. 

Iraq “rejects any participation of forces of the Zionist entity in any military force to secure passage of ships in the Arabian Gulf”, Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali al-Hakim wrote on social media on Monday.

“Together, the Gulf states can secure the passage of ships,” he said.

He added that “Iraq will work to lower tensions in our region through calm negotiations”, while “the presence of Western forces in the region would raise tensions”.

Source: Al Jazeera