Exclusive: Iraqi delegation meeting with Syria's Al-Sharaa is a "new disgrace,” says Badr Organization
Shafaq News/ Iraq's Badr Organization condemned the recent visit of an Iraqi delegation to Damascus and its meeting with Syria's new leader, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, calling it a "new disgrace."
On Thursday, a high-level delegation from the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS), led by its head Hamid al-Shatri, met with the new Syrian authorities.
Mohammed Mahdi al-Bayati, a leader in the Badr Organization and head of the northern branch, told Shafaq News Agency, "This meeting falls within the framework of US pressure to whitewash his [Al-Sharaa] image and absolve him of crimes committed in Iraq and the region, aiming to impose a new reality," labeling the new leader a "terrorist."
"The policy of imposing criminals and individuals with a history of offenses on nations is not new to US strategy… It is a long-standing and ongoing approach that reflects its persistent efforts to support figures aligned with its history of crimes,” he added.
Al-Bayati criticized the meeting, calling it “a new mark of disgrace added to the dark record of the United States and the governments that align with it.”
"As for the stance of honorable individuals, it remains clear and unwavering: Peace to those who make peace with you, and war to those who fight you… We will continue to hold our arms in defense of justice and in commitment to the divine path,” he confirmed.
No official statement has been issued by the Iraqi government regarding the Iraqi delegation's visit to Syria. However, a source revealed to Shafaq News Agency, on Thursday, the goals of the visit, confirming that Iraq’s engagement with the new Syrian administration follows "international pressures, particularly from the United States, which urged Baghdad to establish communication with Damascus and align with recent changes, as other regional countries have done."
The State of Law Coalition, led by Nouri al-Maliki, echoed the same opinion. "The Iraqi government's decision to send an official delegation to Syria and engage with the new Syrian administration came under pressure from both the United States and Gulf states, urging Baghdad to re-establish ties with Damascus amid recent developments," lawmaker Issam al-Kreiti, a prominent leader in the coalition, told our agency.
