Baghdad, Iraq – The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially informed, on Sunday, the United Kingdom Ambassador Irfan Siddiq of its strong objection to the recent media statements issued on Friday, which the Iraqi government considered “a violation of diplomatic norms and interference in the internal affairs of the state”.
The British ambassador to Iraq stated in a televised interview on Friday that the need for popular mobilization in Iraq had disappeared.
In a meeting held at the ministry’s headquarters on Sunday, the Undersecretary for Bilateral Affairs, Ambassador Muhammad Hussein Bahr al-Ulum, expressed the government’s deep concern.
He reiterated that “this behavior contradicts the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which obliges diplomatic representatives to respect the laws and regulations of the host country and refrain from interfering in its internal affairs”.
The Government of Iraq urged the Ambassador to refrain from any other statements or activities of this kind, and to act in a manner that supports friendly relations between the two countries.
In a press statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the need to adhere to constructive diplomatic communication and adhere to the principles of mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of countries.
