Iraqi Prime Minister Visits Damascus in Historic Post-Assad Trip
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaydi visited Damascus to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, marking the first such trip since December 2024. The leaders discussed security cooperation, trade routes, and energy projects.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaydi arrived in Damascus on Wednesday for an official visit, marking the first such trip by an Iraqi premier since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024. He held talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa focusing on expanding security and economic cooperation, enhancing trade routes, and boosting energy partnerships.
President al-Sharaa greeted al-Zaydi and his accompanying delegation at the Damascus International Airport. According to regional media reports, the Iraqi Prime Minister stated that both nations are working to strengthen security coordination, align positions on regional issues, and expand strategic partnerships. The Syrian leader reiterated his commitment to deepening bilateral ties, followed by expanded meetings between the two country's delegations.
Border security and counter-terrorism efforts topped the official agenda, according to Syrian state media. Ahead of the visit, al-Sharaa emphasized in an interview with the Iraqi channel Dijla that relations must be built on mutual interests in security, economy, water resources, agriculture, and border crossings, making the alliance resilient to future political shifts.
Energy cooperation remains a central pillar of the rapprochement. According to reports, Iraq recently began exporting limited quantities of oil via Syria following disruptions to shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz. In July, both nations signed a memorandum of understanding to revive the historic oil pipeline from Iraq to the Syrian coast, securing direct access to Mediterranean markets.
Furthermore, al-Sharaa called for connecting Iraq's Faw Port to Syria's Tartus Port and improving overland transport routes, positioning Syria as Iraq's gateway to the Mediterranean. He highlighted potential investments in refineries, the Baniyas pipelines, and noted that Iraqi investments in sectors such as cement manufacturing are already underway.
The discussions also addressed the fate of detainees transferred from Syria to Iraq. Following the US transfer of thousands of ISIS detainees from Kurdish-run facilities in February, al-Sharaa noted that thousands of Syrian nationals among them have no ties to the organization, and their repatriation is currently under review.
