Iraq hosted a regional summit on Saturday in a bid to ease tensions in the Middle East and emphasize the country’s role as a mediator in the region.
The conference was attended by heads of state including Egypt’s Al-Sisi, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and French President Emanuel Macron.
Iranian and Gulf Arab officials met on the sidelines of the summit, while there was no indication of direct meetings between Iran and Saudi Arabi. Iraqi officials said however that talks between the two countries, which began in April, were continuing.
“The fact that we managed to bring rival countries together on the same table and initiate dialogue between them is not only important to them and us but to the whole region,” said Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.
Competition for influence in the Middle East between Iran and the US, Israel and Gulf states turned Iraq into the scene of attacks against US forces and assassinations of Iranian and Iraqi paramilitary leaders.
Tensions in the Middle East escalated after the US, under former President Donald Trump, killed Iranian military official Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad in 2020, pushing Iran-backed militias to launch drone and rocket attacks against US forces stationed in Iraq.
Saudi Arabia also blamed Iran for attacks on its oil installations, a charge fiercely denied by Tehran.
The new nuclear talks with Tehran, instigated by US President Joe Biden have pushed Riyadh to favor engagement and dialogue with Iran as a way to contain tensions.
Although Iraq’s security has relatively improved in recent years, rivalries by big powers continue to plague the country.
Iraq hopes the summit would encourage its neighbors to engage in dialogue instead of settling scores on its territory.
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