Iraqi president, Omani sultan call for immediate halt to war in the region

BAGHDAD — Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq discussed regional developments in a phone call Tuesday and stressed the need for an immediate halt to the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

According to a statement from the Iraqi presidency’s media office, the two leaders reviewed the situation in the region and the impact of the war on regional security and stability.

Both sides emphasized the importance of “stopping the war immediately” and intensifying diplomatic efforts to contain tensions and prevent the conflict from expanding.

Oman had been mediating indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program in the weeks before the conflict.

They also stressed the need to respect the sovereignty of states and adopt political solutions, calling for “the logic of wisdom” to prevail in order to prevent further escalation.

The current conflict began on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel launched large-scale airstrikes on Iranian military and government targets across Iran. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials were reported killed in the strikes.

Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against U.S. military bases and allied countries across the Middle East, including strikes targeting locations in the Gulf and the Kurdistan Region. The escalation has disrupted oil supplies, threatened shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.