Iraq to Postpone Saudi Crown Prince’s Visit to Baghdad: Report

A source close to the Iraqi prime minister says Baghdad is not ready to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and has decided to postpone his planned visit to the country.

The Arabi 21 news website has quoted the source as saying that Baghdad for now cannot host the Saudi crown prince given the current regional conditions.

According to a Farsi report by Tasnim, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi had invited Bin Salman to visit Baghdad in his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, and the visit was planned to be made this month.

Senior Iraqi parliamentarian Jassem Jafar, who is close to PM Abadi, says that the recent developments in Saudi Arabia, the region and Lebanon, particularly the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, have complicated the situation.

Given the sour relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, he said, the visit of Bin Salman to Baghdad may harm the Iraqi interests in future.

“Iraq wants to remain independent and not to support any side and the time is naturally not ripe for the Saudi crown prince’s visit unless the results of the current developments will become clear,” he added.

Jafar further noted that Iraq will definitely postpone the visit, because it cannot welcome a person who is strongly opposed to Iran and Hezbollah and even certain parties in Iraq.

Bin Salman is trying to visit certain regional states to establish warm relations with them and enjoy their support in future, he said.

However, he added, the situation in the Middle East is complicated and Saudi Arabia has been taking tough stances on Iran and the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah.

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