Iraq PM heads for Saudi Arabia as part of Gulf tour

By Ibrahim Salih

BAGHDAD (AA) – Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi left Baghdad on Monday for Saudi Arabia at the start of a regional tour that will also include Iran and Kuwait.

In a statement, Abadi's office said the premier will be accompanied by a ministerial delegation during his visits, which come upon invitations from the three Gulf countries.

No details were yet available about the agenda of Abadi's talks during the tour, which comes amid a Gulf crisis after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen cut ties with Qatar accusing it of supporting terrorism.

Doha, for its part, denies the accusation, saying the move to diplomatically isolate it was "unjustified".

Last week, Abadi said his government opposes the Gulf blockade imposed on Qatar, calling for dialogue to resolve the crisis.