Baghdad: Legal expert and consultant Salem Hawas affirmed that “the statements made by the US envoy regarding the prime ministership constitute blatant interference in Iraq’s internal affairs.”

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Hawas stated in a press release: “The US envoy’s statements concerning the Iraqi Prime Minister’s ability to exercise his authority are a violation of the country’s sovereignty, because evaluating the performance of Iraqi leaders is a purely national prerogative determined by the constitution and the people, not by foreign diplomats.”

The legal expert explained that the US envoy’s statement that “the Prime Minister cannot form a government coalition due to certain parties within Parliament” constitutes direct interference in the Iraqi political process. He emphasized that government formation is a constitutional matter governed by Articles 76, 86, 54, 55, and 56, and no other country has the right to express a binding or insulting opinion on it.

He added that the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations prohibits envoys from interfering in the internal affairs of states.

The legal expert further stated that describing a constitutionally elected Prime Minister as “having no power” is a deliberate attempt to undermine the image of the Iraqi state and attack its constitutional institutions. He pointed out that executive power in Iraq is derived from the elected Parliament, and questioning this undermines the legitimacy of the democratic system and is inconsistent with the principles of partnership and mutual respect.

Hawas affirmed that Iraq possesses sufficient diplomatic tools to respond to foreign interference, whether through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or through official protest notes.