Key facts
- Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Tehran for an official visit.
- Al-Zaidi will meet with senior Iranian officials to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional stability.
- This is al-Zaidi's second state visit, with a prior trip to the US.
- Previous Iraqi PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi also made Iran his first foreign visit, aiming to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
- Iran's exports to Iraq were nearly $9 billion, with plans to increase this to $20 billion.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Tehran for his first official visit to Iran, aiming to discuss bilateral cooperation, regional developments, and efforts to enhance security and stability.
Al-Zaidi stated on X that his meetings with senior Iranian officials would cover issues of mutual interest and bilateral cooperation. This visit marks his second state trip, following a recent visit to the United States.
Previous Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi also made Iran his first foreign visit after taking office in May 2020. His trip was intended to help revive talks between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia. Al-Kadhimi's delegation included ministers of foreign affairs, finance, health, and planning. Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabiei expressed hope for constructive talks to deepen relations between the two countries.
Al-Kadhimi's planned visit to Saudi Arabia was postponed due to King Salman's hospitalization. Baghdad has historically been positioned between Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United States. Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had visited Baghdad, emphasizing strong Iran-Iraq relations following the US drone strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani.
Iran views Iraq as a potential route to circumvent U.S. sanctions, with exports to Iraq totaling nearly $9 billion, and discussions underway to increase this to $20 billion. Religious tourism between the two nations has been halted due to the pandemic.