Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi secretly visited Iran last Friday. The visit was neither officially announced nor were any details disclosed, and no press conferences were held to provide further information about the discussions that took place in Iran or the objectives of the visit.
However, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein revealed that the purpose of the visit was to "bring Tehran and Washington closer together".
Speaking on the sidelines of his participation in the Paris Peace Forum, Hussein said the Iraqi prime minister's visit to Tehran was "an attempt to bring the Iranian and American sides closer together. There are also other efforts underway, and we advocate peace and de-escalation, not war".
He noted that "Iraq has a vested interest in this matter, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has negatively affected the country's financial and economic situation. In addition, there have been casualties from the war, and the conflict has expanded in scope, becoming dangerous in practice, as its battlefield has come to inclu.de Iraq and the Gulf states"
He also pointed out that "the continuation of this situation will adversely affect global energy prices, including oil and metals", adding that "this issue was part of the discussion during the panel session".
Hussein stressed that "the prime minister's visit and his ongoing communication with the American side play an important role, as we have strong relations with our neighbour Iran, as well as excellent relations with the United States. This enables Iraq to play such a role, although other countries are also undertaking similar efforts".
Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated in recent weeks, as several intermediary countries seek to bring the two sides closer together and help ensure the success of negotiations.
