ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein discussed bilateral relations between Ankara and Baghdad and regional tensions in a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan on Sunday night on the sidelines of a summit in Riyadh. 

"During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations between Iraq and Turkey and ways to enhance cooperation in various fields, in a way that achieves the interests of the two friendly countries and peoples,” according to a readout from the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

The Second Joint Arab-Islamic Summit to address regional escalations amid Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon, as well as other pressing regional issues, will be held in Riyadh on Monday.

Hussein and Fidan also "discussed the current situations in Gaza and Lebanon, where they expressed their concern about the military escalation and its humanitarian effects on civilians, stressing the need to stop military operations and find peaceful solutions to the current crises.”

"The two ministers stressed the importance of intensifying international and regional efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples, and working to achieve lasting stability in the region,” the statement detailed. 

This is the second summit organized by Saudi Arabia since Israel’s war on Gaza and recently on Lebanon began, where leaders of Arab and Islamic countries gather to condemn Tel Aviv and call on the international community to bring the war to an end and help establish lasting regional stability. 

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani headed to Saudi Arabia on Monday morning to attend the Arab-Islamic summit. 

Iraq has on numerous occasions called on the international community to end Israel’s aggressions in the region. Since the start of Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, Iraq has opened its door to Lebanese refugees.