The President of the Republic, Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, denounced the statements of the Republican representative in the US Congress, Mike Waltz, that were offensive to the Iraqi judiciary, stressing that they: 'Do not only affect the person of the head of the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Faiq Zaidan, but they also affect the independence of the Iraqi judiciary, which is a cornerstonea of the state.' The President of the Republic said in a statement: 'The Iraqi judicial system is considered one of the strongest independent judicial systems in the region. It is the guarantor of achieving justice, supports the rule of law, and guarantees the legitimate rights of citizens to a free and dignified life.' He added: "Such irresponsible statements, and their repetition, may affect the nature of bilateral relations between Iraq and the United States of America." Source: National Iraqi News Agency