TEHRAN – The Iraqi government is planning to officially ask the U.S. to exempt Baghdad from sanctions over continued economic ties with the neighboring Iran, Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Mahjoub has said.

“Iraq may ask Washington to completely exclude it from the sanctions, as Jordan, for example, did in the early 90s, when an embargo was imposed on Iraq,” Sputnik on Tuesday quoted Mahjoub as saying.

The official stated that the steps had been taken in this regard, adding that Baghdad hopes Washington would show understanding for Iraq’s reliability on economic ties with Iran.

MH/PA