Iraq leads diplomatic push to de-escalate Iran-Israel war
Unifying the home front
Hours after US strikes targeted Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday, June 22, 2025, Iraq's top leadership convened for an emergency summit in Baghdad. The meeting brought together the 'Four Presidencies'—President Abdul Latif Rashid, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani, and Head of the Supreme Judicial Council Faiq Zidan—along with leaders of the ruling political coalitions.
According to informed sources, the urgent session aimed to formulate a unified Iraqi position on the dangerous escalation. The key objectives were to devise measures to protect Iraq from the conflict's fallout and to develop a diplomatic mechanism to 'defuse the crisis,' fearing a slide into a wider regional or even global war.
Leading the diplomatic charge in Istanbul
While leaders unified at home, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein led a diplomatic marathon in Istanbul, attending an Emergency Meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers—held at Iraq's request—and the 51st Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers from June 20-22.
At these crucial gatherings, Minister Hussein warned that the escalation posed a threat to the entire region, not just Iran, and stressed the need for collective action. He put forward a key proposal: the formation of a joint, open-membership contact committee tasked with opening communication channels to reduce tensions and halt the attacks. This Iraqi initiative was a diplomatic success, first being adopted by the Arab League and subsequently approved by the OIC member states. The final 'Istanbul Declaration' from the OIC condemned the destabilizing attacks on Iran, Syria, and Lebanon, reflecting the core of Iraq's proposal.
Minister Hussein reinforced this multilateral effort with a series of vital bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the conferences. He met with:
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan: Discussed both the regional escalation and critical bilateral files, including Iraq's water rights and the resumption of oil exports via Ceyhan.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi: Held two separate meetings to discuss the repercussions of the strikes and the importance of activating the new contact committee.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty: Received praise for Iraq's de-escalation initiative.
Uzbek and Syrian Counterparts: Discussed the need to end the war and focus on political solutions, with Hussein emphasizing Iraq's direct vulnerability due to its shared border and history with Iran.
Through this coordinated domestic and international effort, Iraq is signaling a clear strategic shift. Rather than being a passive victim of regional power plays, Baghdad is actively leveraging its diplomatic relationships in a determined bid to pull the Middle East back from the brink of a devastating, wider conflict.
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