Iraqi PM due in Tehran next week

Iraqi officials told The Baghdad Post in June that Kadhimi was planning his first foreign tour with visits to the United States, Iran and Saudi Arabia, the Iraqi news site reported on July 15.

Kadhimi, also Iraq’s intelligence chief and a former journalist, formally took office on May 7, after six months that Iraq had no cabinet as parties squabbled until the last minute over cabinet seats in backroom deals.

Prime Minister Kadhimi probably wants to mediate between Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the US, what his predecessor Adel Abdul Mahdi tried to do, The Baghdad Post added.

However, Iran has rejected the notion of talks with the Trump administration, insisting that the US must first make up for its sanctions measures against Iran.

Kadhimi is also planning to visit Washington this month to launch the second round of the US-Iraq strategic dialogue that is the first of its kind in more than a decade. They aim to put all bilateral issues on the table, including the faltering Iraqi economy and the possible withdrawal of US troops.

Meanwhile, commenting on Kadhimi’s visit to Iran, Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji said, “I am confident that countries of the region will offer positive and constructive solutions to the existing problems in Iraq in order to cooperate with Baghdad,” Mehr News Agency (MNA) reported on July 15.

Turning to the strategic talks between Baghdad and Washington, Araji added that in the second round of talks, the timing of withdrawal of US troops from Iraq will be discussed which is the wish of the Iraqi government and people.