Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said Wednesday that Iraq is trying to intervene to prevent war in the region and that it cannot be an instrument of aggression against neighboring countries.

"Iraq is trying to prevent war in the country and the region and we want to absorb the problems and crises in a positive way, in order to preserve the sovereignty and stability of Iraq, which seeks to defuse the crisis," Abdul-Mahdi said.

"We in Iraq have good relations with Syria and some opposition social factions, and we also have excellent relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council and other countries in the world."

"Iraq cannot be an instrument of aggression against neighboring countries. We have assurances that the missiles that fell on Saudi oil installations did not launch from Iraq," Abdul Mahdi said.

"If Iraq becomes a battleground, the region will flare up, and we call on all to dialogue and to lift the armed clash in the region."

"The decision to go to war will be difficult," he said. "Today everyone is very cautious. Going to war is going to be painful and cruel. The region is small and does not bear the destructive means of war that everyone has."

"Everyone is keen to establish the best relations with Iraq. We have foreign forces on Iraqi soil to fight ISIS and to train Iraqi forces," Abdul Mahdi said.