国际英语新闻:Iraq urges cooperation to halt financing terrorism amid Gulf crisis

BAGHDAD, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday said Iraq rejects isolation of any state in the Gulf region, calling for cooperation to halt financing terrorism.

"We have common interests with the neighboring countries and we want to put out the fire in the region," Abadi said at a press conference after his weekly cabinet meeting.

"We are not part of the (Gulf) crisis, but Iraq is against any blockade on any Gulf state. It is not a political stance; it is a matter of principle," he said.

Abadi said in the televised press conference that Iraq has witnessed 13 years of sanctions and "our people had suffered too much and we don't want that happen to others."

"Regimes are not affected by the blockade; the blockade hurts people," Abadi said, referring to the crisis between some Arab nations and Qatar.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and some other countries announced cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing the Gulf state of supporting and financing "terrorism" as well as interfering in their internal affairs.

Qatar denies the accusations.

Observers believe that the crisis created serious crack in the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Abadi also said that he will visit Saudi Arabia soon and his visit has no relation to the recent Gulf crisis.

He also said the Iraqi forces continue their victories against the Islamic State (IS) militant group, asserting that there is only 3.5 to 4 square km left in the hands of IS militants in the western side of Mosul.

Abadi's comments on Mosul came as Iraqi security forces, backed by the anti-IS international coalition, were simultaneously conducting a major offensive to dislodge IS militants from their major stronghold in western Mosul in northern Iraq.