JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Dispatches) — Iraq’s caretaker prime minister says it is in Iraq’s interest to keep pushing for a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to ease regional tensions.

Mustafa al-Kadhimi said Iraq intended to keep up its role hosting talks between the two Mideast neighbors. “Iraq contributed to the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement, and several sessions held were successful and fruitful, and a great rapprochement took place,” he said. He added Iraqi will continue to encourage dialogue between the two sides.