Iraq’s Summit Shows Promise for Improved GCC Cooperation

Cordial inter-regional relations on display at a recent conference in Baghdad could portend deeper cooperation and improved stability across the Persian Gulf in the event of Iranian-Saudi rapprochement. The Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership on Aug. 28 featured Middle Eastern partners and rivals convening together to discuss the shared goal of greater Iraqi stability. Although Saudi and Iranian officials reportedly did not meet directly, they were both present at the event. Iran’s foreign minister also met with officials from both Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates -- two of Saudi Arabia’s closest and most strategically aligned neighbors. ...