Iraq is not a protectorate of the United States; it is a sovereign partner. Partners do not always agree, but they consider and respect each other’s views. In that spirit, we ask the United States to consider Iraq’s views on challenging issues, especially those of regional importance.

Iraq is developing an independent foreign policy. With no intention of repeating Hussein’s wars, we are committed to good relations with all our neighbors. We offer the hand of friendship to Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Sharing a 376-mile border with Syria and a 906-mile border with Iran, we have a vital interest in stable, non-hostile relations with these countries, too. …

Iraq’s longest border is with Iran, and we don’t want a reprise of the war which left hundreds of thousands dead on both sides in the 1980s. We would like to see a Middle East without weapons of mass destruction, where governments are committed to development and cooperation rather than conflict and competition to obtain nuclear weapons. But as with Syria, we seek a peaceful resolution of this issue.

The peoples of Iraq and Iran share historic, cultural and religious ties. While we want our relationship with Iran to be stable, it will never be subservient. Iraq follows an independent foreign policy based on its distinct interests. This has been proved by our decision to sign the strategic framework agreement with the United States and our commitment to maintain a strong partnership with the United States on political, security and economic levels.