PM Abadi says Iraq wants to ‘keep away’ from US-Iran conflict

Baghdad wants to “keep away” from the US-Iran conflict, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Wednesday. Speaking at an energy conference in Baghdad, he said that Iraq wants to maintain a “balance” in its relations with Washington and Tehran, adding that this policy was in Iraq’s interest. “I’m keeping away from it,” Abadi said, referring to tension between Iran and the United States. He also expressed hope that the deal to restrain Iran’s nuclear program would be maintained by Washington, Reuters reported.