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Iraq has proposed creating a joint security council between Iran and Saudi Arabia to address what it describes as a “crisis of trust” between the two regional powers, a senior Iraqi official said Sunday.
Qasim al-Araji, national security adviser to the Iraqi prime minister, told state broadcaster Iraqiya TV that Baghdad had presented the proposal to both Tehran and Riyadh.
“The problem between the two countries is a crisis of trust,” al-Araji said.
He provided no further details on how the proposed council would operate, and neither Iran nor Saudi Arabia immediately commented.
Al-Araji also said bringing all weapons under state authority was a “purely Iraqi strategic decision,” stressing that decisions on war and peace belong exclusively to the Iraqi state.
The Iraqi army announced on June 3 that it had formed a committee to bring weapons under state control, a longstanding security and political issue because of armed factions operating both within and outside the Popular Mobilization Forces.
The initiative follows talks between Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, who discussed regional developments and stressed the need to contain escalation and resolve disputes peacefully.
On July 27, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed several drones launched from Iraqi territory that attempted to target oil facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh.
Saudi authorities blamed “Iran-affiliated militias” for the attacks and said the kingdom reserved the right to respond.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered security agencies the same day to investigate information provided by Saudi Arabia concerning the launch of the drones from Iraqi territory.
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