Iraqi officials say they are seeking to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran on the second day of a visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Baghdad.
Iraq’s parliamentary speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi said Baghdad will play a “pivotal” role in de-escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.
“Iraq is keen on the safety of its neighbours and on working at all levels to avoid the dangers of escalation in the region,” al-Halbousi said at a meeting with Zarif on Sunday.
He called for dialogue and initiatives to build confidence among all parties.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammad Ali al-Hakim said Baghdad was working on averting a possible war between Washington and Tehran.
Speaking at a press conference after talks with Zarif, the top diplomat described sanctions imposed by Washington on Tehran as “not useful” and called for more dialogue between the sides.
Zarif arrived in Baghdad on Saturday, a day after the US announced the deployment of 1500 military personnel to the Middle East.
Read the article in The Australian (Deutsche Presse Agentur)