Iraq FM: Conflict spillover would devastate Iraq, diplomacy is the only shield
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein warned that any attempt to drag Iraq into regional wars would 'destroy' the country and the armed factions, stressing that Baghdad rejects the notion of unified battlefronts and insists Iraq's arena is solely its own.
In a televised interview aired Saturday on Shams TV, Hussein outlined Iraq's approach to armed groups, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Law, relations with Iran and the United States, the Erbil–Baghdad dispute, regional conflicts, and the future of Kurds in Syria.
وزير الخارجية العراقي فؤاد حسين: لولا قوات التحالف الدولي لكان تنظيم "دا.عــ.ـش" يسيطر على أجزاء واسعة من العراق. #العراق #فؤاد_حسين pic.twitter.com/bF5gn9Yh1j
— Shams TV قناة شمس (@shamsnewstv) August 17, 2025
Avoiding Regional War
Hussein credited Iraq's survival amid neighboring conflicts to a dual-track approach: dialogue with armed groups at home and diplomacy abroad. He revealed Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Shia leaders had warned faction commanders of the dangers of unilateral actions, while Baghdad reached out to Washington and European capitals to prevent Israel's war from spilling into Iraq.
'We made it clear that Iraq has only one arena, which is Iraqi, and we reject the concept of unified battlefronts,' Hussein pointed out, warning that dragging Iraq into conflict would destroy the country and its factions. He added that despite some continued strikes on US bases, Baghdad's firm position had restrained wider escalation.
Disarmament and the PMF Law
On why 'militias' could be contained but not disarmed, Hussein affirmed that force was not an option. ' Disarmament by violence would risk civil war,' he cautioned, arguing instead for Shia dialogue first, followed by a national dialogue across communities.
'Weapons outside state control remain unacceptable but must be addressed through reason, not confrontation.'
He compared Iraq's situation to Lebanon, where decades of failed attempts to disarm Hezbollah showed that 'the language of arms only produces more destruction.'
Regarding the PMF Authority Law in parliament, Hussein said he was the only minister to object, citing the tense regional climate. 'Sometimes an issue is valid, but the timing is wrong,' he said, noting that such legislation has unavoidable security and military implications.
Relations with Iran and the United States
Hussein rejected claims that Tehran dictates Baghdad's decisions. 'It is not true to say Iran rules Iraq, but it is also not true to say Iran has no influence,' he remarked, pointing to Iraq's weakened sovereignty since UN sanctions in 1991 and the 2003 invasion.
On Iranian National Security Adviser Ali Larijani's visit, he described it as a routine trip, not a special mission. Discussions focused on bilateral ties and avoiding wider war. He added that Tehran thanked both Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region for their positions during the recent 12-day conflict inside Iran.
As for Washington, Hussein confirmed US opposition to the PMF law but said Iraq's national interest requires a single military authority. He underscored Iraq's reliance on the Global Coalition, noting that without its intervention, ISIS would still control Baghdad and Erbil. 'Now the question is—who will protect Iraq if another war comes?' he asked.
Iraq's Neutrality and Soft Power
Hussein rejected labeling Iraq as neutral. 'We are against war. That is not neutrality—it is principle,' he said, explaining that Iraq lacks 'hard power' and instead must rely on diplomacy and soft power to safeguard its interests.
Erbil–Baghdad Relations
On ties with the Kurdistan Region, Hussein considered the root of the dispute lies in Baghdad's centralist mindset, which clashes with the federal constitution.
He pointed to the absence of long-promised legislation, including the Oil and Gas Law and the Federal Council, which has forced reliance on outdated centralist laws, describing the current oil revenue-sharing deal as temporary, and stressing that a lasting arrangement must guarantee the Kurdistan Region's fixed share without federal interference in salaries or local revenues.
Syria, the Kurds, and Regional Stability
Turning to Syria, Hussein related the instability there to Iraq, warning that Syria remains fragmented with the presence of Turkiye, US, French, Israeli, and Russian forces, in addition to ISIS remnants.
'This reality requires new approaches based on decentralization and democracy,' he argued, stressing that centralization fuels division while decentralization can preserve unity.
On Kurdish aspirations, he said independence is not on the agenda. 'Dreams remain dreams, but reality is different. Kurds in Syria are struggling for rights within a democratic, decentralized state, not for separation.'
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