TEHRAN – An Iraqi lawmaker has said that the new Iraqi prime minister will press ahead with the Iraqi mediation between Tehran and Riyadh.

The lawmaker, Mohannad al-Khazraji who is a member of the State of Law Coalition in Iraqi Parliament, said Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad al-Sudani underlined Baghdad’s efforts to bring Iran and Saudi Arabia closer together as part of Iraqi mediation between the two countries during his recent visit to Tehran, Fars News reported. 

“Al-Sudani's trip to Tehran led to very important political and military dimensions in a situation where all countries in the region need peace. Al-Sudani’s steps towards achieving stability and reducing tension through joint international cooperation will prevent the region from being dragged into war,” al-Khazraji told the Iraqi Al Malomah news website, according to Fars News. 

The Iraqi lawmaker added, “Joint cooperation between Baghdad and Tehran will create stability in the region and confirm the approach of the Iraqi government in this direction.”

He pointed out that al-Sudani emphasized the adoption of a policy of neutrality towards regional and international issues and the continuation of achieving closeness between Saudi Arabia and Iran in order to strengthen relations and reduce tension between the countries of the region.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has recently praised Tehran-Baghdad relations while underscoring Baghdad’s mediatory efforts between Iran and Saudi Arabia. 

Pointing to Iraq’s endeavor to restore relations with neighboring countries to ensure the security of the region, he noted that collective security in the region reflects positively on the security situation inside his country.

The Iraqi foreign minister made the remarks in an interview with the Bahraini Al Watan newspaper.

Responding to a question on Iraq’s mediatory efforts in the region, Hussein referred to Baghdad’s mediation between Iran and Saudi Arabia. “Iraqi efforts are known, and there have been meetings between Saudi Arabia and Iran through Iraqi efforts, and if the two capitals are ready to sit again, we are ready to help,” he noted.

The Iraqi foreign minister added, “We are trying to create a specific situation to reach calm in the region for the benefit of all, because the tensions in the region are reflected in the internal conditions, and therefore internal security is related to security and the regional security situation. That is why we seek to create a good regional security situation to be reflected in the security situation in these countries, including Iraq, of course.”

On Thursday, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the continuation of Baghdad's mediation between Riyadh and Tehran, noting that the Iranian-Saudi dialogue had moved from its security track to a diplomatic one.

Arab press reports have said that during his visit to Tehran, al-Sudani raised the issue of Iraqi mediation, among other issues. 

Qatari-owned Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper reported that al-Sudani will visit Saudi Arabia at the beginning of next month to push Riyadh to complete dialogue and negotiation with Tehran in order to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Citing an Iraqi official at the Iraqi prime minister’s office, the newspaper said al-Sudani's next stop after Tehran will be Saudi Arabia, where he will visit early next month to participate in the Arab-Chinese summit. In Saudi Arabia, the official continued, the Iraqi prime minister will discuss economic and investment issues in Saudi Arabia, in addition to the issue of Iraqi mediation between Riyadh and Tehran, stressing that the government intends to host a new dialogue in the capital, Baghdad, during the coming period.