Iraq’s government spokesman said Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi carried an initiative to Tehran aimed at easing regional tensions, while Baghdad said it would not allow Iraqi territory to be used to threaten Iran. The remarks came during an official visit by al-Zaidi to Tehran, about a week after he met US President Donald Trump in Washington. Al-Zaidi arrived in Tehran on Thursday afternoon at the head of a high-level delegation and was welcomed by Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Ali Madanizadeh, representing President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to the Iranian government’s official media website. Pezeshkian received al-Zaidi at an official ceremony at Tehran’s Saadabad Palace, where the national anthems of both countries were played and the two leaders reviewed a guard of honor. Al-Zaidi said he had discussed several issues of mutual interest with Pezeshkian, including establishing a mechanism for the work of the Iraqi-Iranian Joint Economic Committee. He said his visit reflected the depth of bilateral relations and renewed them, describing the trip as a bridge of friendship between the two peoples and pointing to the two countries’ shared religion, civilization, geography and culture. Al-Zaidi said the visit was intended to discuss bilateral and regional issues and called for joint investments in various sectors. Pezeshkian said security and stability were highly important and would have a positive effect on bilateral development. He also pointed to significant joint investment opportunities between the two countries. Al-Zaidi and Pezeshkian oversaw the signing in Tehran of four agreements and memoranda of understanding aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation and partnership between the neighboring countries. The agreements, signed on behalf of Iraq by the foreign and electricity ministers and the acting ministers of finance and planning, included freight shipping and the international overland transport of goods, a memorandum of understanding to extend the Kermanshah-Khosravi-Khanaqin-Baghdad railway and a twinning agreement between the Baghdad and Tehran municipalities. “Impressions from Washington” Al-Zaidi conveyed to Iranian officials “views and impressions from his recent visit to Washington,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. “Iran’s current problem with the United States is not one of mediation,” Araghchi said in remarks carried by Iranian television. “The problem lies in the nature of the US approach, which is unreasonable and based on excessive demands and domination,” he added. Media reports had suggested that the Iraqi prime minister might be carrying a message to the Iranian side, but there was no official confirmation. Iraqi initiative Iraqi government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi told Asharq Al-Awsat that al-Zaidi had carried “an initiative aimed at achieving stability in the region, including de-escalation.” “Iraq maintains balanced relations within its regional and international environment and uses them to support regional stability and create a comprehensive opportunity for regional development,” al-Aboudi said. Before leaving for Tehran, al-Zaidi said in a post on X that he was traveling there to discuss issues of mutual interest, bilateral cooperation, regional developments and efforts to consolidate security and stability in the region. “Iraq and Iran share historical and civilizational ties, a geographical border and common interests,” he said. “This requires continued work in a spirit of dialogue, cooperation and mutual respect, in a way that strengthens sustainable development and prosperity for the peoples of both countries and supports security and stability in the region and the world.” Former Iraqi Electricity Minister Luay al-Khatteeb, however, ruled out any clear economic breakthrough “under the current conditions of war in the region, whose trajectory is difficult to predict because of the lack of visibility.” He said challenges arising after attacks on Iranian energy installations and infrastructure would increasingly have a negative effect on Iranian electricity and gas supplies to Iraq. Politically, al-Khatteeb said the visit's importance lay in preserving a balance in Iraq’s relations with its strategic allies, both regionally and internationally. He said the trip also amounted to accepting an invitation to a protocol intended to strengthen relations between al-Zaidi’s newly formed government and the Iranian government. Asked whether Iraq could play an active mediation role in the ongoing war, al-Khatteeb said its role was limited to Tehran’s influence over armed factions in Iraq and the importance of integrating them into the political system and state institutions. He said regional diplomatic efforts would remain primarily in the hands of Oman and Pakistan, along with other regional countries. What do experts say? Yassin al-Bakri, a professor of political science at Al-Nahrain University, told Asharq Al-Awsat that al-Zaidi’s visits to Washington and then Tehran were interconnected and followed the usual pattern of previous Iraqi prime ministers seeking to balance relations with both sides. Al-Bakri said it was unclear whether Washington had asked Iraq to play a role in the current crisis. “But it may be an opportunity for Iraq to try to insert itself into this issue, despite its difficulty,” he said. “Iran understands that Washington is working forcefully to pull Iraq out of its sphere of influence and may believe that the United States intends to turn Iraq into a buffer and revive its role as a strategic counterweight to Iran.” Media professor Ghalib al-Daami told Asharq Al-Awsat that Tehran viewed al-Zaidi as “a final opportunity and a lifeline, particularly after the recent faltering of negotiations led by Pakistan.” “The concealed purpose of the visit is for al-Zaidi to inform the Iranian side of the need to withdraw its backing from the armed factions so their weapons can be brought under state control, and to continue the anti-corruption campaign, in return for Iraq assuming a mediation role,” al-Daami said. Government spokesman al-Aboudi had said the government did not intend to discuss placing all weapons under state control during the visit. “Bringing weapons under state control is an Iraqi sovereign matter and is not discussed in other capitals,” he said. Local reports had suggested that al-Zaidi might ask Tehran to pressure armed factions to surrender missiles and drones and close what the government describes as the “uncontrolled weapons” file before the end of September. The Iraqi government has not confirmed those reports. During his visit to Washington, al-Zaidi told The Atlantic that Iraq was seeking to adopt an approach focused on investment and economic development to confront the consequences of regional tensions. He said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz had caused financial losses exceeding $50 billion, placing further pressure on Iraq’s public finances.
