Iran's Ambassador to Baghdad Discusses Roadmap for Iranian-Saudi Talks

Iran's ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Iran's ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Iran's Ambassador to Baghdad Discusses Roadmap for Iranian-Saudi Talks

Iran's ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Iran's ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Iran's outgoing ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi discussed at the end of his term the latest stages of the talks between his country and Saudi Arabia.

For a year and a half, Baghdad has hosted five rounds of talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran shortly after the outgoing prime minister, Mustafa Kadhimi, assumed his duties.

During an interview in Baghdad, Masjedi revealed the details of the recent talks between Tehran and Riyadh.

He indicated that during the fifth round held last Thursday, the delegations discussed a roadmap for the future.

"Both sides had some suggestions which were agreed upon after the Thursday meeting and turned into a roadmap for the future."

In response to whether the two countries will reopen their embassies, Masjedi stated that the course of talks would determine whether there will be an exchange of missions, and it depends on the next negotiations.

He added, "In the last round of negotiations, it was important that the two sides have an agreed framework for the future, which came to fruition. And this is per se a positive point that will pave the future way for both sides."

The diplomat pointed out that the "confidence-building" measure is one of the most critical features of the agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

He explained that other issues include bilateral cooperation and measures such as the Hajj, the exchange of embassies, and "regional and international matters."

Kadhimi ensured that Iraq restored its previous regional and international status and became an important regional and global actor. He reestablished and reorganized Baghdad's relations with Washington and held four rounds of strategic dialogue that resulted in the withdrawal of all US forces from Iraq at the end of 2021.

The PM also relayed messages between Tehran and Washington ahead of the Vienna negotiations. Iraq increased its cooperation with Saudi Arabia in all fields by activating the Economic and Political Council, which held several meetings in Baghdad and Riyadh.

Kadhimi's security reform advisor Hussein Allawi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Prime Minister focused his government program on foreign policy and restoring Iraq's regional role, which requires a new strategic approach.

Allawi added that one of the strategic issues was the Saudi-Iranian dialogue under the auspices of the Iraqi government.

Allawi believes that Kadhimi succeeded in reaching the first point through the arrival of the two countries' delegations last year and the start of the dialogue with its four rounds.

He indicated that the last round held in April 2022 was an excellent achievement for the two countries.

The expert noted that Iraq transferred its post-2016 relations from stagnation to openness, dialogue, and exchange of views, leading to a roadmap for normalizing the relationship by activating the Iranian diplomats' visa membership in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the ceasefire in Yemen.

Allawi asserts that Kadhimi realizes that the country's national security will only be achieved by regional diplomatic action, adding that the establishment of peace is a significant opportunity to create an appropriate climate for cooperation and development among all.



UN: Record 281 Aid Workers Killed in 2024

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has seen more than 200 staff killed since the Gaza war began. Eyad BABA / AFP/File
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has seen more than 200 staff killed since the Gaza war began. Eyad BABA / AFP/File
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UN: Record 281 Aid Workers Killed in 2024

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has seen more than 200 staff killed since the Gaza war began. Eyad BABA / AFP/File
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has seen more than 200 staff killed since the Gaza war began. Eyad BABA / AFP/File

A staggering 281 aid workers have been killed around the world so far this year, making 2024 the deadliest year for humanitarians, the UN aid chief said Friday.
"Humanitarian workers are being killed at an unprecedented rate, their courage and humanity being met with bullets and bombs," said Tom Fletcher, the United Nations' new under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.
With more than a month left to go of 2024, the "grim milestone was reached", he said, after 280 humanitarians were killed across 33 countries during all of 2023.
"This violence is unconscionable and devastating to aid operations," Fletcher said.
Israel's devastating war in Gaza was driving up the numbers, his office said, with 333 aid workers killed there -- most from the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA -- since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks, which sparked the war, AFP reported.
"States and parties to conflict must protect humanitarians, uphold international law, prosecute those responsible, and call time on this era of impunity," Fletcher said.
Aid workers were subject to kidnappings, injuries, harassment and arbitrary detention in a range of countries, his office said, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Ukraine.
The majority of deaths involve local staff working with non-governmental organizations, UN agencies and the Red Cross Red Crescent movement, Fletcher's office said.
"Violence against humanitarian personnel is part of a broader trend of harm to civilians in conflict zones," it warned.
"Last year, more than 33,000 civilian deaths were recorded in 14 armed conflicts -- a staggering 72 per cent increase from 2022."
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution last May in response to the surging violence and threats against aid workers.
The text called for recommendations from the UN chief -- set to be presented at a council meeting next week -- on measures to prevent and respond to such incidents and to increase protection for humanitarian staff and accountability for abuses.