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© AFP 2018 / Ahmad Al-Rubaye
Baghdad will act in accordance with its national interests when it comes to the US sanctions against Iran, Sky News Arabia TV channel reported on Thursday, citing Iraq's new prime minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi.

According to the broadcaster, Mahdi said at a briefing that Baghdad would prioritize its interests, namely, its independence, in everything that concerned helping the United States in implementing restrictive measures targeting Iran.

He added that the government aspired to distance itself from any meddling in other states' affairs.

On October 3, newly elected Iraqi President Barham Salih named Mahdi, who was Iraqi oil minister in 2014-2016, as the country's prime minister and tasked him with forming a new government. Mahdi was sworn in on Wednesday, as well as 14 out of 22 lawmakers whom he had designated.

In May, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal, and reimpose its sanctions against Tehran that had been lifted under the agreement.

The first round of the US restrictions came into force in August, the next sanctions package, due to hit Iran's oil sector, among others, is set to be re-imposed on November 4. While Iran and the United States are Iraq's two major partners, the United States tries to urge other countries to stop their cooperation with Tehran.