Bin Salman and al-Kadhimi discuss "regional issues" in Jeddah

Shafaq News/ Saudi Arabia’s Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister of Iraq Mustafa al-Kadhimi met in Jeddah late Saturday to discuss bilateral ties between the two countries, the official Saudi Press Agency reported early Sunday.

The two leaders also discussed potential areas for joint cooperation and exchanged views and opinions on a number of regional and global issues "which contribute to supporting and strengthening security and stability in the region," SPA reported.

Al-Kadhimi’s bureau stated that the discussions centered on bilateral relations, as well as a spectrum of "regional and international issues" and "efforts to consolidate peace and calm in the region," likely referring to Saudi-Iran talks.

A source from the prime minister's cabinet told AFP on Saturday that al-Kadhimi's visit to Saudi Arabia was "not related to internal Iraqi political affairs and the talks about the formation of the new government have nothing to do with the visit."

The Iraqi Prime Minister, along with his delegation, were welcomed at Jeddah’s King Abudlaziz International Airport by the Crown Prince himself and other members of his delegation on Saturday.

The talks were attended by Saudi’s Minister of the National Guard Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz; Deputy defense minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz; foreign affairs minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah; Minister of Trade Majid bin Abdullah al-Qasabi; General Intelligence chief Khalid bin Ali al-Humaidan; and Saudi Ambassador to Iraq Abdulaziz al-Shammari.

The session was also attended by Iraq’s foreign minister Fuad Hussein; National Intelligence Agency Undersecretary Majid Ali Hussein; Director of the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Private Office Ahmed Najati; and Adviser to the Prime Minister for Protocol Affairs Hassanein Rashid al-Sheikh.

The visit marked al-Kadhimi’s second trip to the Kingdom since he became Iraq’s Prime Minister in May 2020.