EIFA: Iran Exploiting Crisis in Iraq to Expand Power / Calls on Iraqi PM Abadi to free himself of Iranian influence

Basnews – Brussels – 25.05.2015 – Iraqi Shiite militia groups under Iranian influence

The European Iraqi Freedom Association (EIFA) is deeply concerned at the fall of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, to Islamic State (IS). It has reiterated that the only way forward is by involving the genuine participation of the Sunni tribes in Iraq’s political process.

On Sunday, EIFA in a press release called on the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to listen to Sunni demands and support them if his government is to survive the current crisis.“The Sunni tribes rose up to expel al-Qaeda from Iraq during the insurgency and they can be motivated and mobilized once more to fight against the brutal IS terrorists, but only if they are trusted and armed by the Iraqi government, rather than sidelined and left to suffer at the hands of the murdering Iranian-led Shiite militias,” said the EIFA statement.EIFA also claims in the statement that the Iranian regime and its allies in Iraq have not allowed Sunni tribal militants either to be armed or to participate in the political process. EIFA advises Iraqi Prime Minister al-Abadi to cut himself free from the influence of Tehran. “By doing so he will gain the support of both the Iraqi people and the international community.“Abadi must also arm the Sunni tribes with heavy and semi-heavy weapons to enable them to fight IS effectively under the command of coalition forces and he must cleanse the Iraqi government and the military and security agencies of all agents of the Iranian regime, as well as expelling all Iranian Revolutionary Guards and their associated militias from Iraq,” claims the EIFA statement.

Founded on 4th April 2014, EIFA is a non-governmental and non-profit organization based in Brussels. It aims to restore freedom, justice, human rights, women’s rights & democracy in Iraq. Any trade, aid, financial assistance and diplomatic relations with Iraq must be based on good governance and respect for the above universal standards.