Friday, December 7, 2012

U.S., Iran Seek to Resolve Iraq-Kurdistan Crisis


Iraqi Army will withdraw the units of its newly-formed Dijla Operations Command from disputed areas of Kurdistan. The withdrawal plan was approved by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Kurdish President Massoud Barzani. Under the agreement, the Iraqi federal police and the Kurdish Peshmerga forces will jointly supervise the army’s withdrawal. (Al Hayat/Al Monitor, 7 December)

Meanwhile, Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Danai Far, believed to have helped facilitate the agreement, met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and conveyed Tehran’s support for the agreement and Iran’s preference to find a peaceful solution to the Iraqi-Kurdish crisis.

The U.S. also continued its efforts to contain the crisis. U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter visited Baghdad on Wednesday and met with Maliki.

File photo: Kurdish Peshmerga troops deployed on the outskirts of Kirkuk. (Azad Lashkari/Reuters/Al Monitor)

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