Iraqi President defends Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia

Shafaq News/ The Iraqi President Barham Salih said countries in the Middle East "must learn from the past and work together toward security and prosperity."

In an interview with GPS's CNN, Salih praised the Saudi royal family's progress in modernizing the nation.

"The Saudi government at the moment is engaged in a significant program of modernization that needs to be watched closely and appreciated for its implications for the wider neighborhood."

He commended the crown prince for taking on "extremist elements" in his kingdom.

Salih looked at Biden's visit to Riyadh in practical terms.

"Look, nations act upon their interest at the end of the day." He said.

Salih was elected President in 2018. Iraq's parliament elects its President, but efforts to hold a new election this year have repeatedly failed due to boycotts by members of parliament. "Democracy by nature is messy and difficult," he said.

Salih said he still had hopes that democracy, established after Saddam Hussein was toppled by international forces in 2003, would prevail.

"We have not been able to bring to a closure and establish a new government," Salih said. "Iraqi political actors have been engaged in all kinds of legal maneuvering through our Supreme Court."

"It is disappointing that we have not been able to bring it to closure, but we are trying hard. We're not fighting it in the streets; we're fighting it through our legal parliamentary system," he said.

On the US return to the Iranian nuclear agreement, Salih clarified, "Iran is a major player in that part of the world, in Iraq, we have a long border with Iran, We have all kinds of interactions...cultural, social, security interests."

Saleh added, "There are no military solutions, and we must end the problem diplomatically. We also need a security system in the Middle East to combat terrorism, which remains a major problem."

"It must be a nuclear agreement with Iran and some kind of reconciliation between Iran and the Arabs."

Salih pointed out that Iraq "plays a significant role in mediating between the Saudis and the Iranians," adding that Baghdad held talks " between Iran and Arab neighbors, and conditions are good."

Saleh commented, "This part of the world cannot continue like this...We are lucky to have oil, but we have severe economic and social challenges; we need infrastructure that can connect our economies... We need joint action against climate change... Iraq cannot do it alone... Saudi Arabia cannot do it alone, Iran cannot do it alone, and the Turks cannot do it alone."

"We must learn from the past and work together toward security and prosperity."

On Syria, Salih stressed that it must go back, "we must find a way to get Syria out of the chaos it has been in today for a long time."