Iraqi Prime Minister visits Saudi Arabia and Iran to discuss issues on regional stability

L’agence France-Press (AFP) reported, Iraq’s prime minister has met with the leaders of rivals, Saudi Arabia and Iran, on June 26th to discuss issues on regional stability. This is a necessary step for Baghdad to mediate between the two Middle East heavyweights.

Mustafa al-Kadhemi visited Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran after a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in the Saudi city of Jeddah. The meeting boosted the pace of rapprochement between the enemies, who ended diplomatic ties since 2016.

Raisi accepted the mediation offer, saying that they emphasize the need for regional leaders to negotiate with each other to solve the problems of the region and that Iran and Iraq “believe that peace and tranquility in the region depends on the role of all regional leaders.”

Iraq has hosted five rounds of talks between Riyadh and Tehran over the past year, the last of which was held in April. Kadhemi believes “reconciliation is near” between the rivals, further reflecting the changing political alignments across the region.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, during the meeting between Kadhemi and Prince Mohammed, the two discussed “bilateral relations and opportunities for joint cooperation” and exchanged views on issues that could help support and strengthen regional security and stability.

In early March, Prince Mohammed said that his country and Iran are “neighbors forever” and that it would be “better for both of us to work it out and to look for ways in which we can coexist”.