Baghdad the Peacemaker: Iraq Pledges to Try to Mend Riyadh-Tehran Relations

Tehran is not seeking escalation of the conflict and aspires to maintain peaceful relations with Riyadh, Iraq's top diplomat said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Baghdad will take steps to resolve the diplomatic standoff between Iran and Saudi Arabia to prevent instability in the region, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Jaafari said Wednesday upon his arrival to Tehran.

"We will work on a resolution of the crisis through diplomatic efforts to avoid consequences for the countries of the region," Jaafari said at a press conference with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

According to Jaafari, Iran is not seeking escalation of the conflict and aspires to maintain peaceful relations with Saudi Arabia.

Jaafari plans to visit a number of Arab countries after leaving Iran as part of reconciliation efforts, Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Jamal told Sputnik.

On Saturday, demonstrators in Iran protesting the execution of a prominent Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr by Riyadh, attacked the Saudi diplomatic missions.

In the wake of the attacks, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Sudan announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Iran. On Monday, the United Arab Emirates announced that it was reducing the number of Iranian diplomats in Abu Dhabi and downgrading the diplomatic ties with Tehran.

Kuwait has recalled its ambassador from Iran without downgrading the diplomatic ties with the country.