At the 'Baghdad II' summit, Riyadh also expressed its commitment to the fight against terrorism in the country. During the conference, Josep Borrell held talks with the Iranian Foreign Minister, Hosein Amirabdolahian

Saudi Arabia supports Iraq's stability and sovereignty

photo_camera PHOTO/FILE - Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan

Iraq plays a central role in the stability of the entire Middle East. For this reason, after several months of political stalemate, the other countries in the region have pledged to respect the new government - led by Abdul Latif Rashid and Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani - with whom they will maintain "constructive regional relations based on the principles of good neighbourliness, non-interference in internal affairs and dialogue as a means of resolving differences". This was agreed by the participants of the Baghdad Conference - Baghdad II - held in Jordan, according to a communiqué published by EFE.

During the summit, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan reaffirmed Riyadh's support for Iraq's stability and sovereignty, as well as its commitment to the fight against terrorism in the country, according to Arab News. Bin Farhan said Saudi Arabia "rejects any aggressive measures" in Iraq, which he described as the "cradle of civilisation, science and knowledge". 

The head of Saudi diplomacy assured that the Kingdom "will spare no effort" to support Iraq's development and economic progress, stressing that the country's prosperity is "linked to the prosperity of the entire region". During his speech, he also praised the "political will" of Iraq and Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani to "face adversity". The Foreign Minister recalled that the two countries cooperate through OPEC and OPEC+ with the aim of keeping global oil markets stable.

Bin Farhan announced Riyadh's intention to develop a joint action plan with the support of the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council, as well as to collaborate with the Baghdad government to promote investments in renewable energy, water desalination and agriculture. In this regard, the Saudi prince stressed that green initiatives promoted by Riyadh and the Middle East, such as the Green Belt project in Iraq, continue to be relevant issues of cooperation to strengthen bilateral ties. 

Climate change and drought are among the main challenges facing Iraq. In 2021, the Arab country suffered one of the driest seasons in 40 years due to a shortage of rainfall. Over the past four decades, the flows of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, the source of 98% of Iraq's surface water, have declined by 30-40 %, according to UN figures.

Like Saudi Arabia, the other participating countries have also expressed their commitment to Iraq's sovereignty, as well as their willingness to expand "regional economic cooperation, bridge-building and the promotion of social dialogue" in order to "end tensions and build constructive regional ties that achieve joint benefit", the communiqué said. 

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said during a press conference that the summit focused on "supporting Iraq". It also highlighted the need for Middle Eastern states to cooperate "at all levels", reports EFE. Safadi also announced that the third edition of the conference will take place in Egypt next year.

For his part, the head of Iraqi diplomacy, Fuad Hussein, stressed that the meeting represented "an opportunity for dialogue between Iraq's neighbours, other nations and international institutions". In addition to several Middle Eastern countries, Baghdad II was attended by representatives of the UN, the European Union and France.

French President Emmanuel Macron has also expressed his commitment to the stability and security of Iraq, calling for the country to choose its own path and not be dictated by foreign powers. One of the nation's main challenges and problems is Iran's strong influence through politics and armed groups. "Iraq is today the scene of [foreign] influences, incursions and destabilisation that are linked to the whole region," the French leader declared.

EU calls on Iran to stop supporting Russia and halt internal repression

Macron travelled to Jordan with the French Foreign Minister, Catherine Colonna, who took the opportunity to call on Iran to release the "hostages detained" in the country. On the sidelines of the summit, the head of French diplomacy had the opportunity to talk with her Iranian counterpart, Hosein Amirabdolahian, whom she urged to release the "hostages", who include French, Spanish, Italian and Polish citizens, among others. 

Colonna also called on Amirabdolahian to respect international laws, including the UN Charter of Human Rights, as well as the sovereignty of other countries, referring to Tehran's interference in Iraq. It also called on him to cease military support for Russia and to stop the domestic crackdown on protests that began after the death of Mahsa Amini.

So far, the Iranian authorities have already publicly executed two protesters, although many more have been sentenced to death, including footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani. Iranian human rights organisations estimate that more than 450 people - including minors - have been killed during the protests. 

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell was also able to hold talks with the Iranian minister. Like Colonna, Borrell urged Amirabdolahian to cease military support for Moscow and domestic repression. During the face-to-face meeting, both agreed to keep communication open and restore the nuclear deal on the basis of the Vienna negotiations, as Borrell noted on his Twitter account. 

Amirabdolahian, for his part, 'announced his country's readiness to engage directly with Ukraine to explain any misunderstanding about Tehran's position in the war'. The Iranian regime has become one of Moscow's main allies in the invasion of Ukraine through the sale of drones.

Regarding the brutal crackdown on protesters, the Iranian minister criticised Western support for the protests. Since the protests began, Tehran has repeatedly accused Western countries of organising the demonstrations and destabilising the country.

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