German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is in Iraq as part of a wider trip to the Middle East seeking to de-escalate tensions between Iran and the United States.
In a statement Saturday, Maas's office said European nations must engage with the region at a time of heightened concern following recent US naval movements in the Arabian Gulf.
A spokesman for Iraq's Foreign Ministry confirmed the German envoy's arrival on Saturday.
Ahmad Mahjoub said Maas is scheduled to meet Iraq's president, prime minister, and foreign minister to discuss regional security and investment.
The visit was not announced ahead of time for security reasons. The foreign minister is expected in Iran on Monday.
Tensions between the US and Iran have worsened since President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and several world powers and reinstated sanctions on Tehran. Last month, in response to what American officials characterized as an imminent threat, the US announced it would rush the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, four Air Force B-52 bombers and additional batteries of Army Patriot air-defense systems to the region.
