Abadi: Iraq not part of Saudi-Iran conflicts

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi said his country is not a gateway to Iran and will not take part in any regional conflicts between the two countries.

“If our Saudi brothers believe that Iraq is a gateway for Iran, they are mistaken,” Al-Abadi said during an interview with Iraqiya state TV.

“We do not want to enter into regional conflicts, and if there are regional conflicts between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Baghdad will not be involved,” Al-Abadi added.

The premier sought to reassure Saudi Arabia that his country will remain neutral in any regional conflicts saying: “We have nothing against Saudi Arabia and we did not challenge it and did not allow anyone to use the Iraqi territory to harm it.”

Relations between Riyadh and Baghdad have improved since Al-Abadi took office in September last year after reaching their lowest point under his successor, Nouri Al-Maliki.

Two month later, Iraq’s President Fuad Masum visited the kingdom in the first visit by a high-level Iraqi official in many years.

Saudi Arabia named its ambassador to Iraq after it announced that it will reopen its embassy in Baghdad for the first time in 25 years.