Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi confirmed that his country still needs US assistance to confront the threat of ISIS, stressing that he does not transmit Iranian messages to Washington and does not play the role of the postman between them.

In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, on the sidelines of an expected trip to Washington, Al-Kazemi said that Iraq does not currently need direct military and field support on the ground, indicating that levels of assistance will depend on the changing nature of the threat, including continuous training. Arms support.

Al-Kazemi is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday evening, to discuss the shape of relations between the two countries and to complete the second phase of the strategic dialogue between Baghdad and Washington that began last June.

The assassination of a prominent Iraqi security expert and political analyst, Hisham Al-Hashemi, and the kidnapping of German activist Hela Moyes, prompted many to question the limits of Al-Kazemi's leadership, as many believe that the Shiite factions are behind these attacks.

Al-Kazemi said that these violations were committed by those who have an interest in benefiting from the chaos, explaining that "these criminal acts are the result of many years of conflict," blaming poor policies and improper management by those who preceded him in power to undermine the authority of the state. It is surprising then that criminals work here and there to destabilize security. "

"We are committed to reforming the security establishment and enhancing its ability to deal with these types of challenges, and holding accountable those who fail to protect civilians and putting an end to these outlaw groups," he stressed, stressing that the protection of diplomatic missions in the Green Zone and the US-led coalition have been strengthened in response. On frequent rocket launches.

Nevertheless, holding al-Hashemi’s killers accountable remains a major test of his government, and he said that the investigation “continues, the case is open, and a lot of evidence has been found, but it remains classified”.

The Iraqi Prime Minister added, "My government has pledged to pursue the killers. It has made some progress in uncovering the killers of the demonstrators, and gained the confidence of the people to prove the truth. We will not stop until it is revealed."

Observers still consider that Al-Kazemi's response is insufficient, after a raid by the security forces on the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades - on suspicion of launching missile attacks in late June - ended with the release of all but one of the detainees, and the investigation into the dead demonstrators did not clarify who they were. Actually killers.

Visit Washington

Al-Kazemi's comments come as he heads to Washington today at the head of a government delegation, in his first official visit to the United States since he assumed the presidency of the Iraqi government last May.

The Iraqi Prime Minister's Office said - in a statement - that Al-Kazemi will meet President Donald Trump on Thursday evening, where discussions will focus on strengthening bilateral relations, in addition to discussing current developments in the regional arena, and discussing issues of common interest.

He added that Al-Kazemi will hold talks with senior US officials during his non-fixed-term visit, which will include discussing bilateral relations and strengthening joint cooperation in many areas, foremost among which are security, economy, health and other sectors.

The visit comes after the two countries held a first round of talks within the framework of the so-called "strategic dialogue" last June, to redraw the relations between the two countries, which were regulated by the "strategic framework" agreement.

The two countries signed the Strategic Framework Agreement in 2008 that paved the way for the complete exit of US forces in late 2011, after 8 years of the invasion. The agreement regulates relations between the two countries at the various political, security, economic, cultural and other levels.

The US forces returned to Iraq at the request of Baghdad to help them defeat ISIS in 2014, but political forces and Shiite factions are pressing for the departure of those forces.

About 5,000 American soldiers are deployed in Iraq, as part of the international coalition against ISIS, led by the United States.