TEHRAN- In a phone conversation with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein on Sunday, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian lauded Baghdad's proactive initiatives and participation in launching and promoting regional negotiations.Amir Abdollahian and Hussein addressed bilateral and global concerns, including negotiations between Iran and Saudi Arabia.The senior Iranian diplomat stated that Tehran was ready to explore matters of shared interest in bilateral and regional contexts by continuing consultation and exchange of opinion with its Iraqi counterpart.Amir Abdollahian was given Hussein's assessment on the recent meeting in Jedda at which Iraq was represented.All members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq, collectively known as the GCC+3 countries, attended the summit, hosted by Saudi Arabia on Friday.

The leaders of these countries attended this meeting in which U.S.

President Joe Biden was the chief guest.The foreign minister of Iraq stated that during the meeting, Baghdad insisted on necessary steps for regional cooperation and that it would continue its efforts in accordance with the peace and stability of the region.Iran and Saudi Arabia, the two regional important states, have had multiple rounds of de-escalation negotiations in Iraq since April 2021 in an effort to mend their strained relations.Despite the claims of both parties, no substantial progress has been made to far.Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic ties with Iran in January 2016 when Iranian demonstrators stormed its embassy in Tehran following the Saudi execution of influential Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr.Afterwards, the kingdom maintained a combative foreign policy toward the Islamic Republic, particularly when Donald Trump held the helm at the White House and the Saudi monarchs were friendly with him.