Iraq’s government approved the opening of a Hamas bureau in Baghdad, according to The National, a UAE-based newspaper.
This move is seen as a result of pressure from both Qatar and the US amid negotiations with Israel for a Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Military expert Yuri Lyamin told Sputnik that the potential relocation of Hamas’ political leadership from Qatar to Iraq might be due to increasing pressure on Doha from Washington.
The US is reportedly trying to influence Qatar to pressure Hamas into accepting vague truce terms with Israel.
As a contingency plan, Hamas is considering relocating its political leadership should the pressure on Qatar become overwhelming.
Reports indicate that the relocation is being considered as ceasefire talks in Gaza face challenges.
Last month, discussions about this decision allegedly took place between Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and representatives from the Iraqi and Iranian governments, as well as Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani.
Hamas has also recently established a political office in Baghdad, led by senior official Mohammed Al Hafy.
While an unnamed senior Iraqi MP reportedly confirmed the government’s decision to host Hamas, the group has denied these reports.
Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, stated on his Telegram account that there is no truth to the claims that Hamas plans to leave Qatar and move to Iraq.
In May, a government official knowledgeable about Qatari policies stated that Doha might shut down the political office of Hamas as part of a broader Qatari review of its role as a mediator in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
The official, speaking to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, noted that Qatar is reassessing whether it will allow Hamas to continue operating the political office and whether it will continue to mediate in the conflict that has been ongoing for seven months.
