The Washington Post published a report highlighting the atmosphere in which the Arab Gulf Cup (Gulf 25) is taking place, which Iraq is hosting for the first time since 1979, noting that the tournament has turned into a celebration of Arab unity.
The newspaper said that hosting this sporting event – which began on January 6 and ends today, Thursday – is part of Iraq’s efforts to turn the page on decades of violence, instability and isolation.
It quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani as saying, “Gulf 25 is an opportunity that can help strengthen relations between Iraq and the rest of the Gulf countries,” adding that hosting the tournament “represents a sign of recovery following the lean years and political turmoil.”
The newspaper said that hosting the tournament – which is held every two years and in which the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries participate in addition to Yemen and Iraq – constituted the first opportunity for many Gulf citizens to visit Iraq and learn regarding Iraqi culture.
Remarkable Iraqi generosity
The “Washington Post” indicated that the tournament represented a rare opportunity for the residents of Iraq to witness an international football event in their country, and most importantly, to express their pride in their homeland and their happiness with the regional solidarity that the sporting event represents.
It also touched on the manifestations of the remarkable Iraqi generosity, which was translated into popular celebration of the visitors who flocked to Iraq to attend this sporting event.
The newspaper polled the opinions of some Iraqi citizens, including Hussam Muthanna (27 years old), who works as a taxi driver in Basra, who said, “Despite the fierce competition between the Gulf countries to win the championship, what we care regarding in the first place is honoring our guests following a long absence. We are neighbors and cousins.” Even if foreign political circumstances separate us.
The Washington Post said that more than 50 thousand Gulf visitors flocked to Iraq during the past two weeks, according to the Iraqi authorities, as the country eased border restrictions and granted entry visas for free, and made their way to Basra, Iraq’s second largest city, where the Iraqi people welcomed them.
It also indicated that the residents of Basra opened their homes to host fans in light of the overcrowding of the city’s hotels.
A solid Arab bond
Regarding the overwhelming generosity with which the Iraqis welcomed their Gulf brothers, the newspaper report mentioned the opinion of Ibrahim Ali (40 years), who came to Basra from the Sultanate of Oman, and who said that all the residents of Basra – without exaggeration – were ready to host him and the rest of the visitors, and that the city remained awake at night. And day and night for their service “Even the taxi drivers would object when we tried to pay the fare.”
As for Salem Mubarak, 37, from Kuwait, he said with astonishment, “I came from Kuwait with my own car a week ago, and until now I have not spent a single dinar, everything is free.”
Emirati fan Abdul Rahman Meshaal, 40, said, “We expected that the security situation would be bad and that militias would be in control. We also believed that Gulf citizens were not welcome, but we were surprised by a different reality.”
The newspaper pointed out that this year’s tournament was not free from political controversy. Iran objected to the phrase “Arabian Gulf” in the tournament’s name, arguing that it should be called the “Persian Gulf.” Last week, Tehran summoned the Iraqi ambassador to file an official protest for this reason.
However, Al-Sudani downplayed the importance of the dispute in this regard, and said, “We respect all points of view, and today we are part of the Arab system, and we are keen on perpetuating our relations with the Arab Gulf states,” according to the newspaper’s report.
The Washington Post concluded its report with a comment by the Iraqi engineer, Muhammad al-Bazuni, 34, from the city of Basra, who said, “For 20 years, Iran has tried to strip the Arab identity from Iraq in general and from the tribal society in southern Iraq in particular, but what happened in this tournament angered (Iran). A lot, they realized that what is between us and the people of the Gulf is too big to break.”
