Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein expressed his aspiration for a long-term partnership with the United States today, Tuesday. A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that "Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the countries of the international coalition to defeat ISIS terrorist gangs, held in the US capital, Washington." During the meeting, the minister praised "the cooperation and joint coordination between Iraq and the United States in combating ISIS terrorist gangs," referring to "the joint efforts that have continued for ten years." He added: "Iraq has gained great experience in combating terrorist gangs, and we are committed to remaining within the framework of the international coalition to confront the expansion of ISIS in Africa and Asia," noting that "the joint statement between the government of Iraq and the US government on the understandings reached regarding t he scheduling of the withdrawal of coalition forces during the coming period." Hussein expressed his "aspiration for a long-term partnership between Iraq and the United States, especially in the security and military fields," noting "the importance of the recent agreement that aims to enhance security coordination and complete the withdrawal of coalition forces from Iraq." The statement continued that "the two sides discussed the current challenges facing the region, especially the war on Lebanon, which led to social disasters and created a humanitarian crisis resulting from the displacement of about one million Lebanese to other cities within the country, and tens of thousands of them are trying to seek refuge in neighboring countries, all as a result of the recent attacks on southern Lebanon and Beirut." The statement stressed that "these crises require concerted international efforts to deal with them," warning that "the continuation of the war will lead to the outbreak of other wars in the region, and will contribute to the creation of new terrorist gangs or the revival of old terrorist gangs and the Takfiri terrorist ideology." The ministry statement quoted Hussein as stressing "the need for an immediate ceasefire, and to work to calm the situation and deal with the worsening humanitarian crises," stressing "the importance of protecting Lebanon and ensuring that it remains an effective state and does not turn it into a failed state." Source: National Iraqi News Agency