German Researcher Sebastian Sons: Iraq is the Key to Dialogue in the Middle East

Sebastian Sons, political analyst at the German CARPO organization, emphasized the importance of strengthening regional dialogue amid increasing polarization at both regional and international levels. He praised Iraq’s influential role in this regard, especially in mediating between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Speaking during his participation in the 7th International Baghdad Dialogue Conference organized by the Iraqi Dialogue Institute in Baghdad, Sons said, “Iraq has played an active and influential role in facilitating regional dialogues, such as the negotiations between Tehran and Riyadh, which makes it a pivotal player in the regional dialogue landscape.”

He added that such conferences serve as vital platforms to bring together stakeholders from different countries in the region and beyond to discuss opportunities for dialogue and cooperation, while emphasizing that “academic dialogue alone does not yield tangible results unless it is connected to the decision-making level.”

Sons stressed the importance of establishing communication channels between researchers and policymakers to ensure that theoretical discussions translate into practical solutions in areas such as de-escalation and conflict resolution, explaining that dialogue alone is insufficient without concrete implementation steps.

In this context, Sons pointed out that major geo-economic projects, like Iraq’s launched “Development Road” initiative, can contribute to offering more realistic and sustainable solutions to regional challenges.

The German researcher expressed his gratitude for participating in the conference, saying, “I am very thankful to the Iraqi Dialogue Institute for hosting it, as it provided a unique opportunity to bring together participants from Europe, the United States, China, Iran, and other countries to interact and exchange views on the prospects of dialogue in the region.”