Iraq speaker’s Iran visit not linked to graft allegations: MP

By Ali Jawad

BAGHDAD

An Iraqi lawmaker has denied any link between a visit by parliament speaker Salim al-Jabouri to Iran and questioning the country’s defense minister, Khaled al-Obeidi, over corruption allegations.

Al-Jabouri arrived in Tehran on Saturday for talks with Iranian officials on a host of issues.

“Al-Jabouri’s talks will focus on issues of mutual concern and issues related to Islamic parliaments in his capacity as the the chair of the Parliamentary Union of Islamic Countries,” MP Sajda Mohamed told Anadolu Agency.

She said the parliament speaker will ask Tehran “to stand by Iraq in its fight against Daesh and to support it in the post-Daesh era”.

“The visit is not linked to recent political incidents in Iraq regarding questioning the defense minister” on corruption allegations, added Mohamed, who is a member of al-Jabouri’s National Forces Union bloc.

Al-Obeidi had been embroiled in a row after accusing the parliament speaker and a number of lawmakers of allegedly requesting him to pay $2 million in bribes in return for not questioning him into corruption allegation.

Last week, al-Obeidi was questioned by parliament into corruption allegations.

The row came as Iraqi forces were currently preparing to launch a major offensive to retake Mosul, the country’s second largest city, from Daesh terrorist group.