Iraq signs deal to buy arms from Iran
25 February 2014, 14:18
Iran has signed eight contracts to sell Iraq arms and ammunition worth $195 million, Reuters reports referring to documents provided by an unnamed source. This deal violates a UN arms embargo on Iran.
According to the documents, the agreement was reached at the end of November, a few weeks after Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki returned from Washington after talks with the Obama administration on extra weapons supplies.
The Iranian government denied any knowledge of the deal.
Spokesman for the Iraqi Prime Minister, Ali Mussawi, would not confirm or deny the sale, but said such a deal would be understandable given Iraq's current security troubles.
'We are launching a war against terrorism and we want to win this war. Nothing prevents us from buying arms and ammunition from any party and it's only ammunition helping us to fight terrorists,' he said.
Meanwhile, at a briefing in Washington, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki expressed concern about the information. 'Any transfer of arms from Iran to a third country is in direct violation of UNSCR 1747. We are seeking clarification on the matter from the government of Iraq and to ensure that Iraqi officials understand the limits that international law places on arms trade with Iran,' Psaki said, referring to the UN resolution that imposed an arms embargo on Iran.
Answering the question on whether the deal could be a result of delays in deliveries of US arms to Iraq, Psaki said the United States was committed to supporting Iraq and had provided it with more than $15 billion in military and security equipment, services, and training.
According to the official documents seen by Reuters, six of eight contracts were signed with Iran's Defense Industries Organization to supply Iraq with light and medium arms, mortar launchers, ammunition for tanks as well as artillery and mortars. Another two contracts were signed with the state-owned Iran Electronic Industries for night vision goggles, communications equipment and mortar-guiding devices. One of the contracts also includes purchases of protecting equipment against chemical agents.
On the whole, this deal represents an insignificant part of Iraq's weapons purchases, most of which come from the United States and also from Russia and other countries. But they are politically significant for Prime Minister Maliki who purses a third term in office as Iraqi politicians consider Iran's backing to be very important in regards to the political struggle in the country.
According to Amman-based Iraq analyst Yahya al-Kubaisay from the Iraqi Center for Strategic Studies, 'We have here a political and not a military deal. On one hand it is aimed at financing Iran, which is desperately in need of dollars, and on the other it is clearly aimed at winning Tehran's support for Maliki's third term.'
A Shi'ite lawmaker close to Maliki said the deal with Iran was a message to Washington that threatening to withhold or delay arms purchases would no longer work.
US presses Iraq on reports of arms deal with Iran
The United States pressed Iraq Monday to explain media reports that it had signed a contract to buy arms from Iran, a move forbidden under a United Nations embargo.
'We've certainly seen those reports. If true, this would raise serious concerns,' State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
A deal signed in November in which Iraq would buy $195 million in arms from Iran was reported by Reuters in Baghdad Monday.
Psaki said that 'any transfer of arms from Iran to a third country is in direct violation' of the UN embargo.
'We are seeking clarification on this matter from the government of Iraq and to ensure that Iraqi officials understand the limits that international law places on arms trade with Iran,' she added.
The contract with Iran would have been signed just after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki visited Washington requesting American military aid in fighting al-Qaeda and other Sunni extremist groups.
In early January, Iran's deputy chief of staff General Mohammad Hejazi said that his country was ready to provide military equipment and advice to Iraq as it battles al-Qaeda. Maliki payed a visit to Iran one month later.
To help Iraq fight al-Qaeda and other Sunni extremist groups, such as the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL),
Washington has recently promised to speed up its delivery of Hellfire missiles and surveillance drones. The Pentagon is ready to sell more missiles and 24 Apache attack helicopters.
'We certainly view the government of Iraq as a partner in the fight against terrorism and we're committed to supporting them in this fight,' Psaki said.
She added that the United States has provided more than $15 billion in equipment, services and training to Iraqi armed services and security.
Voice of Russia, AFP, Reuters
Source: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_02_25/Iraq- signs-deal-to-buy-arms-from-Iran-0168/
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