Prime Minister: Iraq is a militarily advanced country

Baghdad - INA

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed, today, Wednesday, that Iraq possesses advanced military capabilities while indicating that the ministerial reshuffle is one of the principles of the government program and its goal does not target any party or person.

The media department of the Council of Representatives said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The Council of Representatives hosted in the nineteenth session of its second legislative term, the third legislative year of the fifth electoral cycle, headed by the Speaker of the Council Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani today, Wednesday, with the attendance of 183 representatives, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and the accompanying ministerial team."

At the beginning of the session, Al-Mashhadani welcomed Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Planning and Interior, based on his request to devote their presence to the Council session to discuss the challenges of the events in sisterly Syria and their repercussions on Iraq and the region.

The Prime Minister stressed that "the Zionist entity has exceeded all international norms and covenants by practicing genocide against the Palestinian people," noting that "Iraq's position is firm and clear in all forums in its solidarity with the Palestinian cause, which represents the conscience of all Iraqis, and emphasizing the importance of calm during the meetings and contacts it held, not expanding the arena of conflict, and keenness on Iraq's principled position and the supreme interest of the country, in addition to Iraq's humanitarian aspect by helping the people of Gaza and establishing the Gaza and Lebanon Reconstruction Fund."

He affirmed, "Iraq's natural right to ensure and strengthen the security of its borders and to emphasize national unity to preserve the security of Iraq, its people and its system," stressing that "Iraq possesses advanced military capabilities, in addition to being part of the international coalition to combat terrorism."

He also mentioned, "The content of the agreement with the coalition to end the foreign military presence in Iraq permanently in September 2025, and the Kurdistan Region in September 2026, relying on the belief in the unity of the Iraqi people in facing challenges."
Regarding amending the general budget law, Al-Sudani touched on, "the importance of amending the law to address the issue of marketing oil from the Kurdistan Region, especially the article related to production and transportation costs," indicating that, "Iraq bears a daily fine for not exporting oil to the port of Ceyhan according to an agreement with the Turkish side."

He pointed out that, "the amendment of the article comes in cooperation with an international consultant to resolve the file between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government," calling on the House of Representatives to "expedite the amendment of the federal general budget law for the fiscal years 2023, 2024, 2025."

Regarding the government program, the Prime Minister explained that "the ministerial reshuffle is one of the principles of the government program and its goal does not target any party or person, but rather it was included according to professional standards for each ministry. The government is in the process of reshuffling in two stages, but the reason for the failure to proceed with it is the lack of approval of some parties of the political forces that formed the government on the mechanism for the reshuffle," adding that "the priorities of the government program include strategic projects and programs with a completion rate of 62%."

He called on the House of Representatives to "legislate important laws such as the Aviation Authority Law, the Economic Reform Law, the Arbitration Law, the Securities Law, and the Intellectual Property Law."