Iraq proposes joint security council with Iran and Saudi Arabia

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq has formally proposed establishing a joint security coordination council with Iran and Saudi Arabia, saying the mechanism could provide a suitable framework for addressing issues amid a serious trust deficit among regional parties. The proposal is intended to expand security dialogue among the three countries and help manage existing tensions, according to a statement from the Iraqi government. If established, the council would coordinate joint intelligence sharing, border security and counterterrorism efforts. Baghdad argued that similar mechanisms in the past had produced positive outcomes in resolving regional crises and said the three countries could work more closely on security matters. The Iraqi government stressed that rebuilding trust among the three states would be possible only through an institutional and sustained mechanism. It remained unclear how Iran and Saudi Arabia would respond to the proposal.