Mideast, Europe leaders meet in Jordan on security in Iraq

Mideast, Europe leaders meet in Jordan on security in Iraq

Dead Sea: Leaders from the Middle East and Europe gathered in Jordan Tuesday in a conference focused on bolstering security and stability in Iraq. The meeting included high-level officials from Saudi Arabia and Iran, along with leaders from the UAE, France, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the European Union. The countries said the goal was to show “support for Iraq, its sovereignty, security, and stability, as well as its political process, its economic and development progress, and its efforts to rebuild.” Iraq’s stability and security have been shaken for decades by internal and external conflicts. The 2003 US-led invasion led to years of intense violence and sectarian strife. More recently, the country has been paralysed by political gridlock, with the main dividing line running between Iran’s allies and opponents. Recently, Baghdad has attempted to assume the role of mediator between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Tuesday’s gathering was held as a follow-up to the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership convened in Iraq last year with France co-organising. Paris has taken an increasingly active role in the region in recent years, with President Emmanuel Macron also attempting to intervene to resolve the political crisis in Lebanon. Speaking at Tuesday’s