Iraqi FM Says Baghdad Mediated between Tehran, Riyadh
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari revealed that his country has conveyed some messages between senior Iranian and Saudi officials.
Close relations between the Iranians and Saudis would be to the benefit of Iraq, Jaafari was quoted as saying by the Arabic-language Al Mayadeen TV network on Saturday.
On the other hand, any tension or crisis in ties between Tehran and Riyadh will have a negative impact on Baghdad, the Iraqi top diplomat noted.
“I have conveyed verbal messages between Iran and Saudi Arabia and we tried to bring the two sides closer together,” he said.
Jaafari further pointed to relations between Iran and Iraq, saying the two countries along with Russia and Syria have close security cooperation.
In a meeting held in Baghdad earlier on Friday, visiting Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi and Jaafari exchanged views on a host of issues, including Tehran-Baghdad joint efforts to combat terrorism.
The two high-ranking officials also discussed ways to promote bilateral relations between Tehran and Baghdad in various spheres in line with the interests of the people of both countries.
Iraq has been facing the growing threat of terrorism, mainly posed by Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terrorist group.
Daesh militants made swift advances in much of northern and western Iraq over the last summer, after capturing large swaths of northern Syria.
However, a combination of concentrated attacks by the Iraqi military and the volunteer forces, who rushed to take arms after top Iraqi cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani issued a fatwa calling for fight against the militants, have blunted the edge of Daesh offensive.
Amid tensions in Iraq, Iran is known as the first country to help the Arab country and has always voiced support for Iraq’s solidarity and prosperity.
