Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey were set to meet in what would be a rare display of unity at a time when conflicts, competing interests and foreign influence had left it deeply divided.
Iraq was set to host a historic meeting involving all of its neighbors, including representatives from top Middle Eastern foes Iran and Saudi Arabia, who have not had formal ties for years.
His deputy, Bashir Haddad, called the summit,"a valuable initiative and opportunity for strategic partnerships between Iraq and its neighbors" in a separate statement. Iraq, traditionally a major Arab player, has had a tumultuous modern history of relations with its neighbors. Former President Saddam Hussein attacked Iran—one of only two other majority-Shiite Muslim nations in the Middle East, the other being Sunni-ruled Bahrain—shortly after the 1979 revolution that brought Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to power.
Specifically, President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, dismissing competing Palestinian claims in late 2017, and his recognition of the occupied Golan Heights in Syria as part of Israel have united the region—and the overwhelming majority of the international community—against him. At the same time, Iran has continued to shore up ties despite mounting U.S.
"Halbusi welcomed the visiting Syrian delegation and its participation in the Baghdad Summit of Parliaments of Neighboring Countries of Iraq, pointing to the depth of the historical relationship between the two brotherly peoples," a statement from Iraqi parliament's office read. "The two sides also reviewed the bilateral relations between Iraq and Syria and means of developing joint cooperation in all field.
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