French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is visiting Iraq for the first time as he embarked on a tour of the region on Wednesday.

Barrot held a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein, during his visit to Baghdad.

Barrot praised Iraq's efforts to maintain its stability by staying relatively far away from regional conflicts such as the Gaza war. “Iraq remaining strong and independent is a source of stability for the region as a whole,” he said. “It is essential that Iraq is not dragged into wars it did not choose."

Fuad Hussein emphasized the importance of negotiations between Tehran and Washington, saying that “negotiations are the only solution” and that any other option would be dangerous for the region. Barrot expressed his support for his counterpart.

During Barrot's meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, President Emmanuel Macron's planned visit to Iraq was discussed. While the date of the visit was not announced, it was said that the two countries agreed on regional issues.

During Barrot's visit, preparations for the third session of the “Conference on Regional Stability” to be held in Baghdad were also discussed. Minister Barrot will head to the Kurdistan Region, where he will meet with regional leaders.

The French Minister emphasized that France would continue to support the international coalition against ISIS, saying, “We cannot allow a decade of success against terrorism to be questioned. France is ready to contribute to this military and security effort to the extent our Iraqi partners desire.”