Interparliamentary meeting on Iraq, held at the European Parliament on

At an interparliamentary meeting held at the European Parliament on Thursday, chairman David Campbell Bannerman welcomed representatives from the Iraqi government in an attempt to “show concrete proof of esteem and solidarity to the Iraqi people” in their fight against the Islamic State, or Daesh.

Speaking from Brussels, Bannerman called for a “re-doubling” of efforts by foreign powers in arming Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. Y. M Sadiq MP Kurdistan parliament at an EP-Iraq described the levels of corruption in the Iraqi government as among the worst in the world.

Struan Stevenson, former President of the delegation on Iraqi relations, stated that he had formely warned that al-Maliki’s appointment, backed by the European Union and the United

States, would result in disintegration. He mentioned al-Maliki a “puppet” of the mullahs in the Iran and called for his arrest, citing breach of international law 

and crimes against humanity. Sharpening sectarian divisions in Iraqi society are a result in part of the Iranian regime’s meddling in the country, he said.

The role of Iran in the current Iraqi crisis must not be overlooked, emphasised Stevenson. Iran’s backing of al-Maliki was made evident after the series of attacks on Camp Ashraf between 2009 and 2013, home to the exiled Iranian Resistance, the People’s Mojahedin of Iran.

Stevenson claimed that al-Maliki had flouted an agreement signed with all members of the PMOI at Camp Ashraf, ensuring their protection in exchange for handing over their weapons. This, he said, was equivalent to camp members signing their own death warrant.

The collusion of al-Maliki’s government with the Iranian regime has meant constant threat for the PMOI in Iraq, most recently exhibited in Iran’s missile attack on Camp Liberty – the PMOI’s new place of residence – on 29th October this year.