Al-Zaidi Leads Mediation Between Washington and Tehran with Trump's Approval

Baghdad–Tehran–Agencies: Iraqi and Iranian sources confirmed that Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Allawi conducted a secret visit lasting several hours to Tehran on Friday, during which he met with the head of the Iranian negotiating delegation, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. Iranian Fars News Agency reported that the talks focused on Iraq’s efforts to end the war between Iran and the United States. For his part, Iraqi Ambassador to Iran, Yasser Abdul-Zahra Al-Hajjaj, confirmed yesterday that the prime minister’s visit to Tehran “was of a private and unofficial nature, aimed at exploring ways to de-escalate tensions and defuse the threat of war in the region.” In a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (WANA), Al-Hajjaj said, “Iraq is not sidelined from developments in the region; rather, it is actively advancing its supreme national interests under the leadership of Prime Minister Ali al-Allawi, channeling its diplomatic efforts toward de-escalation, preventing escalation, and enhancing regional stability.” Earlier, Al-Hadath TV, citing sources, revealed that the Iraqi delegation that secretly visited Tehran was led by al-Allawi, and that U.S. President Donald Trump had agreed to proposals put forward by al-Allawi during a phone call to end the war, asking him to convey them to Tehran and play a mediating role.