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Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran on Saturday, a day after visiting Saudi Arabia, Iranian state TV reported.
“We’ve got agreed to work collectively to deliver stability and calm to the area,” Kadhimi stated in a joint televised information convention with Raisi.
Al-Kadhimi’s journey goals at reviving talks between Riyadh and Tehran, though the 2 leaders remained non-committal whereas addressing the press.
“Dialogue with regional officers can resolve the regional points,” Raisi stated, with out elaborating.
Iraq, like Iran, is a majority Shiite nation, but in addition maintains relations with Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia. Holding balanced relations with its two bigger neighbors has been a key coverage for al-Kadhimi’s administration since he got here to energy.
Shift amid West-Russia standoff
Al-Kadhimi go to comes a day after his assembly with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman within the Saudi metropolis of Jeddah.
It additionally comes as Western leaders appear to be attempting to enhance ties with oil and gas-rich nations amid the faceoff with Russia. EU overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell traveled to Tehran on Friday and introduced the long-stalled talks on Iran’s nuclear program are set to proceed within the coming days.
In flip, US President Joe Biden is about to journey to Riyadh subsequent week, regardless of pledging to sideline the Saudi royal household following the homicide of US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey.
Ties reduce off in 2016
Iran and Saudi Arabia have lengthy been regional rivals. Diplomatic ties had been reduce in early 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed two Saudi diplomatic missions within the nation in response to the execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr by Saudi authorities.
The 2 powers have additionally not directly confronted one another in Yemen, in what is usually seen as a proxy struggle. Saudi Arabia has backed the ousted Yemeni authorities whereas Iran helps the Houthi rebels.
Nevertheless, a latest truce in Yemen has sought to deliver an finish to the battle that has triggered one of many world’s worst humanitarian disasters.
Makes an attempt to heal the yearslong tensions between Tehran and Riyadh had been made in low-key talks in Baghdad final 12 months, however these had been suspended following the execution of some 40 Shiite residents.
ab/dj (AP, Reuters)
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