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BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is reportedly considering plans to abrogate the country’s security deal with the US and establish closer links with Iran and Russia.
The Sunday Times cited sources close to Maliki on Sunday that the Iraqi premier is likely to cancel Iraq’s Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA) with the US due to Washington’s lack of support in the face of the aggression by the Takfiri ISIL terrorists.
Iraq and the US inked the SFA in 2008 to outline the terms of their political, economic and security cooperation.
The agreement which granted a monopoly on defence contracts worth billions of dollars to the US was basically aimed at promoting peace, stability and democracy in Iraq. The US and its allies had invaded and occupied Iraq in 2003 allegedly in search of weapons of mass destruction, but no such arms were ever found.
Iraq is currently witnessing a new surge of violence after militants from the ISIL cult took control of large swathes of the country, including key cities last month.
Iran and Russia have agreed to help Iraq combat terrorism and expressed opposition to any conspiracy for the disintegration of Iraq into smaller entities.
Iran has stressed that it will not militarily intervene in the Iraqi crisis but it has expressed preparedness to provide military consultation to the neighboring country.
On June 28, Iraqi army sources said Baghdad received the first batch of Russian-made Sukhoi fighter planes to use them against the ISIL militants.
Baghdad has reportedly purchased several used Sukhoi planes from Belarus and Russia. — Press TV.
derick.khumalo