Iraq planning for Saudi-Iran meeting on sidelines of Baghdad summit

Iraqi leaders are working to hold a bilateral meeting between Iran and Saudi on the sidelines of a summit scheduled to take place in Baghdad later this month, Iranian media outlets reported.

Iranian Al-Mayadeen TV said Baghdad is keen to end the estrangement between Tehran and Riyadh.

“Baghdad seeks to end the severance of ties between Tehran and Riyadh following closed-door bilateral meetings,” it added.

According to the channel, leaders from Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, and several other Middle Eastern countries are scheduled to attend the regional summit in Baghdad.

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French President Emmanuel Macron is also expected to be in attendance.

In May, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh expressed Iran’s readiness to “hold talks with Saudi Arabia at any level”. However, he noted that if Saudi Arabia’s rhetoric does not lead to a change in its behaviour, the talks will not have practical results.