The Arab Weekly, citing informed sources, reported on 20 July that Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is expected to visit Tehran later this week carrying a proposal for Baghdad to host direct or indirect talks between the United States and Iran.

The initiative, which was reportedly discussed during Zaidi’s recent meeting with US President Donald Trump, aims to prevent the latest military confrontation between Washington and Tehran from developing into an even broader regional war.

Baghdad believes its close ties with both capitals place it in a unique position to facilitate communication at a time when direct contacts have become increasingly difficult.

The diplomatic effort follows Zaidi’s visit to Washington, where discussions focused on trade expansion, investment opportunities, strengthening Iraq’s energy sector, and opening new markets for Iraqi crude exports, reflecting Iraq’s desire to deepen economic relations with the US while maintaining strategic ties with neighboring Iran.

Following his Tehran visit, Zaidi is expected to travel to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Syria as part of a broader effort to reinforce Iraq’s regional diplomatic profile amid mounting instability across West Asia.

While Baghdad previously hosted secret Saudi-Iranian negotiations beginning in 2021, mediating between Washington and Tehran presents a far greater challenge due to disputes over Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions, military deployments, maritime security in the Gulf, and Tehran’s network of regional resistance allies.

Despite criticism in Iran over Zaidi’s recent Washington trip, Iraqi officials believe reopening even limited channels of communication would strengthen Iraq’s image as a constructive regional actor and help reposition the country as a diplomatic crossroads rather than an arena for rival powers’ wars.