MOSCOW, October 30. /TASS/. The Iraqi government is interested in BRICS, but it is too early to talk about the country joining the association, Russian Ambassador to Iraq Elbrus Kutrashev said in an interview with Izvestia.
"Russia is in fashion among Iraqis now. There are many who want to visit Russia for tourism or business purposes, our exchange of delegations is more active, and the BRICS association is becoming very interesting, in which, as Baghdad understands, Russia plays a significant role," he said, answering the question whether Iraq is ready to join BRICS.
According to the ambassador, when the US learns that Iraq has begun practical steps to join the association, they will try to prevent this. "Iraq cannot afford a direct confrontation with the United States. So, it is too early to talk about this now, but we will come to it in time," the diplomat said.
The US, Kutrashev added, is irritated by the fact that Russia is "very popular among influential political organizations and even some armed groups". Thus, when the special military operation began, some Iraqi units put up portraits of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the streets of Baghdad, the ambassador recalled. "This was a clearly expressed support in the midst of the beginning of the special military operation," he noted.