Translated by: Hamed Ahmed
Experts in Western research centers expected Iraq to continue its role in conducting regional mediation during the current year, stressing that it has achieved positive steps in this regard.
And the report of (The National) news website, translated by (Al-Mada), stated that “former Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, who remained in power until October of last year, had managed to use his relations with the Gulf countries, Iran and the West to change Iraq’s position on A victim of foreign conflicts into a ground for cooperation.”
The report added, “Baghdad had hosted, over the past two years, several rounds of talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran,” stressing that “officials in Baghdad are currently pushing for more negotiations.”
“People are waiting to see what the government of Muhammad Shia al-Sudani will be like,” said Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at the Gateham House Institute for Studies in London.
Renad added, “There are those who believe that Al-Kazemi took advantage of his relations in the field of security and intelligence to bring security officials in Iran and Saudi Arabia and others in the region closer together as a starting point for that dialogue.”
The report also indicated that “Baghdad’s relations with its Gulf region witnessed a rapid improvement during the rule of former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.”
He stressed, “Baghdad’s endeavor in recent years to revive its economy and mobilize support for the very urgent stage of reconstruction, as well as improving public services following decades of sanctions, wars and neglect.”
The report pointed out that “Iraq’s communication with the Gulf countries helped in developments, including the improvement of relations with Saudi Arabia, which resulted in high-level diplomatic meetings in Baghdad and Riyadh for the first time in decades.”
For his part, an Iraqi expert and analyst at the American Sangri Foundation for Studies, Sajjad Jiyad, said, “Iraq, because of its location in the region, will continue to maintain its role as a mediator, a place for talks, and an effective partner in any dialogue.”
Jiyad continued, “Baghdad enjoys good relations with all parties, as it is able to achieve direct communication between countries that are not in agreement with each other, and it also has a geopolitical interest with important countries such as Turkey, Iran and the United States.”
The report stressed that “the first destination of the Sudanese foreign visits was to Jordan, Kuwait and Iran.”
In turn, Michael Knights, an expert on Iraqi affairs at the Washington Institute for Near East Studies, said, “This will constitute a message to the Gulf states regarding its priorities.”
Knights believed that “Iraq’s relationship with the Gulf will seem intimate from the outside, but it will lack in principle the personal contact that existed between Mustafa Al-Kazemi and the Gulf leaders.”
The report stated, “The talks between Riyadh and Tehran had started in the Iraqi capital in April 2021, thus forming a turning point that might lead to easing regional tensions.”
He added, “Al-Sudani said following assuming power that he had asked Iraq to continue facilitating the dialogue process.” However, Knights analyst believes that “these dialogues did not have any effect on easing tensions.”
Knights explains, “I doubt these Iraqi mediation dialogues were of any use. They had very little effect and seemed like a way to create a propaganda image that Iraq was back as a diplomatic powerhouse, and in fact that Saudi Arabia and Iran have no problem with communication.” Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said last November that “the new government will continue to push for negotiations to calm tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia.”
Hussein pointed out that “there is a desire from the two countries to continue the dialogue, as there are some outstanding issues.”
Hussein pointed out, “The possibility of Baghdad talking easily with Iranian or American officials, in light of the good historical relations that the country enjoys with both parties.”
Hussein went on to say that “finding permanent solutions to conflicts in the Middle East, such as the Palestinian issue and the situation in Yemen and Libya, are essential to strengthening regional security.”
For: (The National) news site
Disclaimer: All published articles represent the opinion of its authors only
