Shafaq News/ The Iraqi government tried hard to reduce tensions in the country and maintain a balance between regional and international powers in order to go forward on its reform plan.
A report for the American "Al-Monitor" website written by Ali Mamouri which was a lecturer at the University of Tehran and a trainer in religious institutes in Iraq and Iran, said that,
“In an attempt to remove Iraq from the conflict between Iran and its regional and international rivals, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has planned and is taking his first trip as a package to three countries: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United States. This way, he wants to send a message to all rival powers that Iraq's sovereignty should be respected and regional and international powers should not bring their conflicts into Iraq.” the report showed.
the report added Iraq has been a center field for conflict since 2003 between different regional and international powers, and it has turned into a direct battleground between the United States and Iran after the assassination of Iran's top Quds Force commander, Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, earlier this year, followed by Iran's bombing of US forces at Ain al-Asad airbase in western Iraq's Anbar province.
The selection of Kadhimi was actually a settlement choice between Iraqi political parties to reduce the tension and find a solution to the regional and international conflicts on Iraq's territory. the writer added.
The report clarified that al-Kadhimi has already initiated a strategic dialogue with the United States. The first session took place in June, and the second session will be held in Washington during Kadhimi's visit there. He is also planning to settle on arrangements with Iran and Saudi Arabia to end the use of any Iraqi space for conflict; instead, he'll seek to change the role of Iraq from battleground to a place of investment and a bridge to peace and cooperation.
The prime minister was supposed to visit Saudi Arabia as the first visit abroad, but the visit was canceled due to the unexpected sickness of King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, who was taken to the hospital.
Therefore, the first visit was to Tehran July 21, and before this, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made a quick visit to Baghdad on July 19, where he met with Kadhimi, Iraqi President Barham Salih and officials.
The writer added that Kadhimi’s first priority is to reduce tensions in the country and convince all parties to respect Iraq's sovereignty in order to begin his plan for economic reform and prepare for early elections. Without this advance step, no reform plan can be executed and the next elections will be a repeat of the problematic elections of 2018.
Kadhimi is trying to diversify Iraq's economic partners to include all neighboring countries in addition to global powers such as the United States.

As an example, Iraq, the United States, and six Gulf states agreed last week to connect Iraq's electricity grids to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The six countries are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
Iraq is also importing electricity from Iran; this agreement was renewed for two years last June.
Kadhimi looks to expand Iraq's economic relationship with many different parties in order to involve all of them in Iraq's economy and lower the flames of conflict between them within the country. the report emphasized.
In the same vein, Iran's request for ending the US military presence in Iraq depends on the Iraqi government's ability to fully control security, and to stop militias from firing rockets on foreign diplomatic missions and prevent their involvement in several illegal economic activities. the report showed.
Kadhimi also launched a campaign to impose full control over Iraq's border outlets with all neighboring counties. He began July 11 at the Mandalay border outlet with Iran in Diyala province, then moved on to Basra’s land and water borders with Iran and Kuwait on July 15 — including the Shalamcheh outlet with Iran and the Safwan outlet with Kuwait. These outlets were previously under the control of militias and political parties, which enabled them to earn millions of dollars from smuggling and illegal taxing.