Iraq offers to mediate between Iran and US amid war fears

Al-Zaidi spoke to Trump by phone on Thursday, according to his office. The two discussed the evolving situation in the region, security developments and prospects for the next phase, his office said. The prime minister reaffirmed Iraq's call for respect for the sovereignty of states and for Iraqi territory not to be used as a launching point for attacks against neighboring countries, and stressed the need for diplomacy and dialogue to safeguard regional security and stability.

ISNA reported, citing Iraq's foreign ministry, that Hussein proposed forming a regional committee aimed at reaching understandings to reduce tension. Hussein told Dijlah TV on Thursday that the possibility of renewed US military strikes on Iran was not a secret. He warned Iraqi armed groups against joining any Iranian retaliation and said pushing Iraqi society into the war would lead to a disaster. He added that Iraq was not part of any axis and did not want its territory to become a battlefield.

According to Al Jazeera, Iraq has lost more than $60bn in oil revenues since the war began, as about 90 percent of its oil exports normally pass through the Strait of Hormuz and were largely cut off when Tehran closed the waterway. Oil accounts for about 90 percent of Iraq's federal budget. Iraq has since been one of the few countries granted an exemption by Iran to pass freely through the Strait of Hormuz.