Tehran but not Washington has signaled readiness for talks, Iraq's FM says

Iraq is prepared to mediate between the United States and Iran, but while Tehran has signaled openness to the proposal Washington has yet to do so, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said on Thursday.

“Until now, I don't see any signal from Washington that they are ready to negotiate with the Iranian side while the Iranians are giving that signal,” Hussain told a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

“We are rather worried about the tension and we hope that both sides will choose a different approach. And that's the approach of, once again, negotiating," he said, expressing his country's readiness to play a role.

“The tension between Washington and Tehran, it affects us directly, not indirectly,” Hussein said,

Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian has conveyed Tehran's willingness to engage in talks with Washington but hardline factions have strongly criticized such gestures.

The remarks by Iraq's foreign minister follows reports suggesting Iran is actively seeking Iraqi mediation to facilitate talks with the United States, with which it has not had diplomatic ties since 1980.

An unnamed Iraqi political figure has been authorized to establish a special channel for discussions between Washington and Tehran, according to UAE-affiliated Erem News.

The presence of Iranian-backed Shia militias in Iraq is a key source of friction between Washington and Baghdad, despite the US describing its relationship with Iraq as a strategic partnership.

The outlet also said concerns are growing in Iraq about the potential repercussions of escalating tensions in the region between Iran, its military allies and Israel. With possible Israeli attacks on Iran, Iraq fears for its own security and stability, Erem News said.

The outlet added that Iranian political leaders representing Masoud Pezeshkian's government had informed Iraq of their readiness to engage in talks with the US. However, this idea continues to be rejected by Iran's Supreme Leader.

The proposal comes as Donald Trump was sworn in on Monday for his second, non-consecutive term as US President.

During his previous tenure, Trump introduced stringent measures to counter Tehran's influence, particularly targeting its nuclear program. The sanctions imposed by Washington during that time dealt a significant blow to the Iranian economy.