Amir Mousavi Strategic affairs expert
A day after holding talks with Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi visited Tehran and met President Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi.
The trip is of major significance, as Kadhimi has several items on his agenda, including bilateral ties. Under his administration, Iraq has maintained its friendly ties and even repaid its debt to Iran. Water, electricity, and natural gas still link the two states, and Kadhimi hopes to address Iraq’s need for these resources.
Iran-Saudi Arabia rapprochement is also among the topics. So far, Iraq has facilitated five rounds of talks between them. This time, he is apparently conveying the latest views of Saudi leaders. It is a real possibility that Tehran-Riyadh talks bear fruit, and their foreign ministers meet before this year's Hajj pilgrimage ends. Bin Salman also wishes for a thaw in his country’s ties with Iran, preferably ahead of the upcoming visit by US President Joe Biden.
The crown prince is also worried that the truce in Yemen will expire with no satisfactory solution to end the war.
Should Kadhimi’s efforts result in a meeting between the Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers and resumption of their relations, it would be a great diplomatic success for him.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s domestic developments matter, as Kadhimi is trying to remain the prime minister. Representatives from the parliamentary Shia coalitions within Iraq’s Coordination Framework and the Sadrist movement, who failed to form a government, are now in Iran, where they may arrive at a solution and end Iraq’s instability. The Sadrist representatives may also find a way to get back to their political lives after resigning from the parliament. Even though their return to the parliament is unlikely, the privileges they enjoyed from holding various governmental positions can be maintained until the parliamentary election takes place in the next year. In the meantime, Kadhimi wishes to make peace between the two Iraqi groups with Iran’s help and continue to serve as prime minister.
Iran has offered to help Shia groups, as it seeks to see Iraqis resolve the political deadlock and restore peace in their country and region.
No comments:
Post a Comment