Iraq’s Sunni Arab vice president denied terror charges against him and vowed to defend himself in a defiant news conference on Tuesday as rival leaders called for urgent talks to resolve a worsening crisis.
“I swear to God that I never committed a sin when it comes to Iraqi blood,” Hashemi told a news conference in the Kurdish regional capital Arbil. “I suggest transferring the case to Kurdistan. On this basis, I will be ready to face trial.” He called for representatives of the Arab League to take part in the investigation and any questioning, and said apparent confessions aired on state television linking him to attacks were “false” and “politicised”.
Meanwhile, Iraqi leaders on Tuesday called for urgent talks to head off a worsening political crisis after authorities issued an arrest warrant for the Sunni vice president on terror charges.
