PM Abadi invited to visit Saudi Arabia, other Gulf ministers to visit Iraq: sources
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubair (L) and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (R) during a meeting in Baghdad.
Khaled al-Assadi, a member of the Iraqi parliament’s foreign relations committee, was quoted by al-Mirbad website as saying that the prime minister had failed to respond to earlier invites to Saudi Arabia due to his occupation with the battles against Islamic State militants in Mosul.
Assadi, however, said he had no idea whether Abadi accepted the invite.
Jubair made a rare visit to Baghdad on Saturday, the first by a Saudi official in 14 years. Relations between Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and Shia-ruled Iraq have recently been tensional over Saudi Arabia’s opposition to the involvement of Shia paramilitary forces in the fight against Islamic State. Saudi Arabia has always been irritated by the influence of Iran, it arch regional enemy, over Iraqi politics.
Jubair had voiced the kingdom’s eagerness for better relations with Iraq and for a common effort to counter terrorrism.
Sky Press website also quoted sources at the Iraqi foreign ministry saying that ministers from Qatar, Bahrain and Emirates had also expressed willingness to visit Iraq within the upcoming period, and to turn a new page on the security and economic levels.