Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Monday that his government will only refrain from using the dollar in transactions with Iran without complying with the full scope of US sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

“Our commitment in the Iran issue is to not use the dollar currency in transaction, not abiding by the US sanctions,” state television quoted the premier as telling a news conference in Baghdad on Monday.

Abadi’s remarks came in contradiction to those he made last week when he said Iraq did not agree with the US sanctions on Iran, but it would abide by them to safeguard its own interests, triggering widespread criticisms.

“As a matter of principle, we are against sanctions in the region. Blockade and sanctions destroy societies and do not weaken regimes,” he said at a news conference on Tuesday. “We consider them (sanctions on Iran) a strategic mistake and incorrect, but we will abide by them to protect the interests of our people. We will not interact with them or support them, but we will abide by them,” he added.