Iran, Iraq to Work Together to Promote Regional Stability

Tehran and Baghdad agreed on Sunday to join forces to promote peace and stability in the region, Iraq’s prime minister said. 
“We discussed the main challenges facing the region and agreed to put up joint efforts to ensure regional peace and stability,” Mustafa Al-Kadhimi said in a joint press briefing with President Ebrahim Raisi after a meeting in Tehran, President.ir reported. 
Al-Kadhimi arrived in Iran on Sunday at the top of a high-ranking delegation of political and economic officials to discuss regional and bilateral issues. 
He met with Raisi and co-chaired a meeting of the two countries’ delegations where they discussed ways to upgrade bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues. 
Close relations among regional countries was underlined by the two sides during the meeting, according to Raisi.
“We stressed the need for dialogue among regional authorities to address problems in the region,” he said, adding that foreign interference is not helpful, but detrimental in both countries’ view. 
Friendly relations between Iran and Iraq can also strengthen their active role in international and regional affairs, he added.
Al-Kadhimi’s trip came a day after he traveled to Saudi Arabia, reportedly with the aim of reactivating Baghdad-mediated talks between the kingdom and Iran.
The visit sought to open new avenues that would reactivate dialogue between the two regional heavyweights, according an official who is privy to the Iran-Saudi dialogue track and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. 
Tehran and Riyadh severed diplomatic ties in 2016 and have been at odds over several regional issues, including the war in Yemen where they support opposing groups. 
The Saudi-Iran talks aimed at defusing the years-long tensions between the regional powers began quietly in Iraq’s capital in 2021 as Saudi Arabia sought a way to end its disastrous war against Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen. 
A fifth and last round of talks was held in Baghdad in April before they were suspended again amid soaring Middle East tensions.
Iraq borders both Iran and Saudi Arabia and is often caught in the middle of the two nations’ conflicts.
Al-Kadhimi has stressed he wants balanced relations with the two neighbors.