Iraq to Resist Outside Pressures in Choosing Allies Against Islamic State

Iraqi Ambassador to the United States Lukman Faily said that Iraq the global fight against ISIL should be the paramount question in everybody’s mind.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Leandra Bernstein — Iraq will avoid bending to external pressures on who it allies with in the fight against the Islamic State, Iraqi Ambassador to the United States Lukman Faily told Sputnik on Thursday.

"Countries can put pressure on us, but the decision is made by us based on our own interests," Faily said.

On Wednesday, Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi accused the United States of forcing Iraq not to coordinate its actions against the Islamic State with the Syrian government.

While he was not able to verify the statement, Faily emphasized that "rather than other type of politics, we think that the global fight against ISIL [Islamic State] should be the paramount question in everybody’s mind."

Iraq is at the center of the day to day fight against the Islamic State and has welcomed constructive help from all potential allies in defeating the terrorist threat.

Iraq partners with the US-led anti-Islamic State coalition that is comprised of more than 60 states. However, Baghdad has also started more intense cooperation with neighboring Iran and Syria against the Islamic State.

The United States has been critical of efforts against the Islamic State outside of its own coalition. Washington has refused participating in the Russian-led information center in Baghdad, focused on coordinating intelligence on Islamic State among Iraq, Iran and Syria.