Iraqi PM’s adviser confirms major crisis averted, sparing country from potential war

Dr Aed Al-Hilali, Adviser to the Iraqi Prime Minister, has said that Iraq has overcome a serious crisis that had threatened to drag the country into the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. He stressed that the leadership of the Prime Minister had succeeded in keeping Iraq away from the path of war.

Speaking to Cairo News Channel, Al-Hilali said: “We are facing major challenges, including maintaining political and security stability, preserving civil peace, and achieving political and development goals.”

He added that the most important challenge at present is the Iraqi elections scheduled for 2025. He noted that the state has provided all necessary means, while the Independent High Electoral Commission has gained wide experience from past elections, enabling it to learn from previous mistakes and ensure a successful vote.

Al-Hilali explained that the special voting process had concluded with an unprecedented turnout from members of the military, displaced persons, prisoners, and hospital patients. He expressed his expectation of high participation in the general vote, saying that Iraqis have developed greater awareness through past experiences, which strengthens the country’s democratic process.

He also discussed the difficulties faced by previous governments, explaining that sectarian divisions after 2003 had negatively affected the establishment of legislative and governmental institutions representing all components of Iraqi society, which in turn influenced how the international community dealt with Iraq.

Al-Hilali further pointed to the economic and environmental challenges the country is facing, such as water scarcity and fluctuating oil prices. He affirmed that the current government has introduced new approaches to rebuild trust between the political elite and the wider public, and to create a more balanced political environment.

READ: Special voting begins in Iraq ahead of parliamentary elections