Iraq expressed its welcome on Thursday to the positions of several friendly nations regarding recognition of the State of Palestine, particularly France, Canada, Malta, the United Kingdom, and Portugal - which announced it would begin formal procedures during September's UN General Assembly session.

In a statement, Iraq's Foreign Ministry said:
"These steps represent significant support for international efforts to achieve justice for the Palestinian people and pave the way for establishing an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital."

The mentioned countries have indicated their readiness to formally recognize Palestine in September as part of their support for two-state solution-based peace efforts.