Iraqi Premier: Relations With Iran Not Swayed by Outside Influence

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said his country’s relations with Iran will not be influenced by other states’ demands or pressures. 
“Iraq is an independent country and values its foreign relations, especially with Iran, based on its own national interests,” he was quoted as saying by IRNA. 
Abdul Mahdi made the statement in a Sunday meeting with Hassan Danaeifar, the head of the department for expanding economic relations with Iraq and Syria, and Iraj Masjedi, Iran’s ambassador to Iraq. 
He was referring to the United States’ threats to punish countries that do business with Iran as part of its sanctions against Tehran, which were reimposed after it withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in May.