Blinken: The U.S. Wants a Secure, Stable, and Independent Future for Iraq

The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, met with his Iraqi counterpart, Fouad Hussein, on Thursday during the anti-ISIS conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He stated that Washington remains committed to supporting the Iraqi government in achieving a secure, stable, and independent future. Blinken praised Iraq's efforts towards energy independence and innovation in the energy sector. He also announced U.S. support for Iraq and Turkey in finding a way to reopen the oil pipeline from Iraq to Turkey. During the meeting, Blinken and Hussein reviewed the bilateral relations between Washington and Baghdad and emphasized the principles of the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement. The Iraqi Foreign Minister also praised U.S. support for his country in the fight against ISIS, adding that the efforts of both sides to defeat ISIS in other countries will continue. On the same day, Blinken announced nearly $150 million in U.S. assistance to areas in Syria and Iraq that have been liberated from the extremist group ISIS. The guarantee of the Iraqi people benefiting from the country's natural resources and the establishment of stability to allow the return of displaced and homeless people due to the war against ISIS were among the issues mentioned in the final statement of the U.S. Secretary of State's meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council member states in Riyadh. The U.S. and the Gulf Cooperation Council called on Iran to fully cooperate with the agency. U.S. air patrols in the Strait of Hormuz aim to 'enhance security' in the region and achieve 'sustainable peace in the Gulf,' Blinken announced prior to the Gulf Cooperation Council meeting.