ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Thursday held a phone call with US President Donald Trump in which they discussed regional developments, with the premier reiterating Baghdad's rejection of its territory being used as "a launchpad for attacks against neighboring countries."

The two leaders spoke about "the latest regional developments, security matters, and the outlook for the period ahead," according to Zaidi's office, which noted that "both sides emphasized prioritizing dialogue and diplomacy... with the aim of containing tensions and preventing the expansion of conflict."

"The prime minister reaffirmed Iraq’s position, which calls for respect for the sovereignty of nations, the prevention of the use of Iraqi territory as a launchpad for attacks against neighboring countries, and the necessity of pursuing peaceful solutions and constructive dialogue to safeguard regional security and the stability of its peoples."

Sovereignty has been a key focus of Zaidi's premiership thus far, coming after Iraq was repeatedly caught in the crossfire of the US-Israeli war on Iran. 

Iran incessantly targeted US military and diplomatic sites in Iraq, as well as Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in the Kurdistan Region, while the US, Israel, and regional neighbors such as Saudi Arabia conducted airstrikes on pro-Iran Iraqi militias, many of which defied Baghdad's policy of neutrality in the conflict and conducted attacks on behalf of Iran.

Zaidi initially set an end-of-September deadline for such factions to disarm and restrict weapons to the hands of the state that matched with the withdrawal of the US-led global coalition from the country. However, despite the departure of US forces, the arms restrcition campaign was postponed until 2027, with a phased approach to disarmament having been adopted.

The prime minister formed a good relationship with Trump since assuming the premiership, with the US leader having endorsed him repeatedly and saying that the pair have "tremendous chemistry" when receiving Zaidi at the Oval Office in July.

For his part, Zaidi has ventured that his past as a businessman has allowed him and the former US real estate tycoon to forge a rapport, with the premier earlier on Thursday reiterating his government's "open door policy" regarding US investment in Iraq.

"Both parties underscored the importance of maintaining ongoing communication and coordinating positions on issues of common interest, in a manner that strengthens bilateral relations and serves mutual interests," the Thursday statement from Zaidi's office concluded.

With his Republican Party having suffered a staggering defeat in the US midterm elections on Tuesday, Trump is facing heightened public pressure to escape a potential quagmire in the Middle East as a result of the attenuated, though still ongoing, hostilities with Iran.

Both sides are currently negotiating a prospective agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and secure peace, though the US president has repeatedly mulled the prospect of a broader return to war, leaving Zaidi in a familiar position for Iraqi prime ministers - seeking to balance relations with Washington and Tehran.