Alwaght- The Iraqi foreign ministry on Sunday summoned the Saudi regime's ambassador over comments he made to the media a day earlier regarding the Popular Volunteer Forces fighting the terrorist groups across the country.
"This constitutes...a breach of diplomatic protocol and is based on inaccurate information," the ministry said in a statement about Saudi envoy Thamer al-Sabhan's remarks, in which he said the Hashid Shaabi units should leave the fight against terrorists of the ISIS Takfiri group to the Iraqi army and official security forces in order to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions.
"The Hashid Shaabi are fighting terrorism and defending the country's sovereignty and acting under the umbrella and command of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces," the statement said, referring to the Popular Volunteer Forces.
"He [the Saudi ambassador] is supposed to find the commons that strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, which Iraq is keen on strengthening and consolidating in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, and in order to serve the interests of the two brotherly peoples," the statement added.
"Interference in the Hashid Shaabi, speaking about Muqdadiya, and other issues - it's not his business... he must respect diplomatic customs," said Khalid al-Assadi, a member of parliament's foreign affairs panel.
Assadi said he had asked the foreign ministry to summon Sabhan to express politicians' objections.
"If such interference is repeated there will be calls to announce the ambassador persona non grata and demand the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia replace him," Assadi said.
