Mr. Barham Salih paid a visit to Tehran earlier this week heading a high-ranking delegation of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan as plenipotentiary of the party to discuss with Iranian officials important issues of the region and no less important the crisis between Iraq’s central government and Kurdistan Regional Government in the north.
Mr. Salih was born in 1960 in Sulaymaniyah. In 1980s, he was head of PUK public and international relations office in Britain. In 1992, he was appointed as PUK’s and later as KRG’s envoy to Washington. 2001-2004 marked his political career as KRG’s prime minister and after fall of Saddam Hussein, Mr. Salih became deputy to interim prime minister. In 2005, Salih was Minister of Planning, then deputy to Nouri al-Maliki and head of cabinet’s Economic Council. Somayyeh Khomarbaghi of Mehr News International service briefly interviewed Salih.
How would you evaluate current KRG-Iran relations?
KRG and Iran have amicable relations in all fields. Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan are not only neighbors, but also enjoy common culture, religion and geography. Political, security and economic interests tie Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan together. In all events of the past decades, Iran had been a safe haven for Kurds to seek refugee from crisis, notably during Saddam’s Anfal project which tried to obliterate Kurds from their homeland and the chemical attack on Halabja in 1990, where Iran provided valuable support for Kurd refugees flooding the borders. Iran had been working closely with Peshmerga against Saddam Hussein, and recently, it was indispensable in battle against ISIL. The sum of Iran’s contribution is laudable; currently, much effort should be directed to improvement of ties with Iran. Fields of possible cooperation are, for example, trade over the borders, mutual investments, and other economic cooperation. KRG is resolved in working out oil pipeline to Iran, with Iraq’s central government supporting the project as well. We need to regularly exchange and share opinions in important Iraqi, Middle Eastern, and the international security and political issues.
How would you see sessions held between Iranian and KRG delegations?
Sessions with Iranian high-ranking officials provided us opportunity to talk some important issues with our Iranian friends. Iraq and KRG are engaged in fighting ISIL, and Takfirism and terrorism. Economic cooperation provided a topic. Iranians, as usual, highly regarded and supported people in Iraqi Kurdistan and Iraq at large. We emphasized upon more extended ties; historically, we have seen Iran as strategic and influential ally to ourselves. The opinions voiced by the Islamic Republic of Iran are important for us and KRG and Iran had an excellent level of mutual understanding of the future and possible liberation of Mosul. I believe great changes are underway, and it is crucial for both sides to talk and coordinate action to secure interests of both sides.
Hashd al-Sha’bi (Public Mobilization Force) have incited opposition in some circles inside Iraq. What do you think would be the cause of such hostility to it?
Hashd al-Sha’bi is an important military body inside security establishment of Iraq and was decreed by Najaf Supreme Clerical order. They have been quite effective in curbing ISIL’s advances further afield in Iraq. Liberation of Mosul is hard and painful task. We should not underestimate the poisonous ideas spread by ISIL terrorists; we should ensure that all Peshmerga, Hashd al-Sha’bi, and local tribal forces are concerted in a well-organized plan in path to obliterate ISIL and extirpate its tinges in Iraq, while this is imperative to consider that in a post-ISIL era, a political solution and good governance to secure public consent will be inevitable in order to forestall any revival of ideology championed by ISIL and terrorism. Only this would insulate us from terrorism.
PUK has highlighted Iraqi territorial integrity; but the voices of independence have still been heard among some Kurdish circles. What do you think would contribute to these centrifugal voices?
Iraq has been moving from one political mire to another. A master solution should provide the country way out of these crises. KRG and Iraq central government in Baghdad had faced a stalemate in a number of issues. In recent years, the situation for the Kurds and other Iraqis has been difficult. Such stalemates incited political problems in Baghdad, corruption, and general chaos. Iraqi nation deserves better days and a life of peace. Kurds also should be given chance to decide on their political fate, however in a framework of their ties with Baghdad. Kurd leaders in Baghdad should decide on this and no one in Ankara or Washington and elsewhere would dare to intervene. Direct and open negotiations of all Iraqi parties is the only way for the nation to tackle terrorism and corruption and to embrace security and peace for Iraq and the region.
Interview by: Somayyeh Khomarbaghi