Iraqi prime minister made unannounced visit to Tehran for talks on ending Iran-US war: Report

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi made an unannounced visit to Tehran on Friday for talks with Iran’s chief negotiator on efforts to end the war between Tehran and Washington, Iranian media reported Monday.

Iran’s Fars news agency, citing an informed source, said al-Zaidi and his accompanying delegation met Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, head of Iran’s negotiating team, during a visit lasting several hours.

The source said the discussions focused exclusively on Iraq’s diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US war, with no other issues addressed.

Qalibaf expressed appreciation for Baghdad’s efforts and outlined Tehran’s two-day proposal, stressing that Washington must respect Iran’s rights under the plan to advance negotiations, according to the report.

The visit had not been publicly announced beforehand, and there was no immediate official confirmation from Tehran or Baghdad.

The disclosure comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts by regional countries to resolve the conflict between Iran and the US.

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Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Monday that Tehran had not submitted a new proposal to Washington, stressing that its existing two-day plan remained on the table.

He said Iran’s demands included ending the US naval blockade, lifting sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian assets and ending the war.

Baqaei also emphasized that Tehran remained in regular contact with mediators Pakistan and Qatar.

The US and Israel launched a military offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering Iranian retaliatory attacks and escalating tensions across the region.

The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding in June following negotiations mediated by Pakistan, outlining arrangements for ending hostilities, easing sanctions and addressing maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.

However, disagreements over implementation and renewed military confrontations have prevented a lasting settlement.

​​​​​​​Iraq has maintained diplomatic contacts with Tehran and other regional governments as efforts continue to find a negotiated solution to the conflict.

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