France agreed to a loan Iraq 1 billion euros for the purpose of reconstruction, in a declared effort to boost stability in the country that was devastated by the Islamic State between 2014 and 2017. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced the decision after meeting with his Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad. The French top diplomat stressed that Paris views economic and social assistance as a key component to weaken the Islamic State movement in Iraq, which remains a danger to the country’s stability. According to him, “In Iraq too, as you know there is still a danger of an underground Daesh (Islamic State) movement that could reappear at any moment if economic and social assistance is not offered and I know this is your first priority.” Minister Le Drian also took the opportunity to signal France’s discontent with the American withdrawal, considering the fact that the Islamic State still controls territory in Syria. In his words, “First of all, because Daesh (Islamic State) has not been fully destroyed yet. That’s the case in Syria where Islamic State still controls territory, which explains our questions after President Trump’s announcement, even if since then there have been some changes.” It is important to note that Jordan’s King Abdullah and the foreign minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif also made separate visits to Iraq, a country that is increasingly perceived by monitors as an ally of the Islamic Republic.
