U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Iraq on Sunday on an unannounced visit to the war-torn Middle East country, and he is expected to seek greater co-operation from the Iraqi authorities over the conflict in neighboring Syria.
Kerry is expected to press Iraqi leaders not to permit Iranian flights over their country carrying arms for the regime of beleaguered Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, media reports said quoting U.S. officials.
Washington suspects that Iranian arms were being transported using the Iraqi airspace to prop up the crumbling Assad regime under the guise of humanitarian aid for the Syrian people suffering from ongoing violence. It also believes that Iraq has been turning a blind eye to such Iranian flights over its territory.
Kerry is also expected to discuss with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki democratic reforms in the country which was freed from the autocratic rule of Saddam Hussein following the military intervention of Western forces led by the United States. His visit comes days after the tenth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that led to the capture and subsequent execution of Saddam. Kerry, who is visiting Iraq for the first time after assuming office as Secretary of State earlier this year, is also likely to ask the Iraqi leaders to reconsider its decision to delay provincial elections in Anbar and Nineveh provinces, the report said.
by RTT Staff Writer
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