Iraq and Iran Sign Cooperation Agreements as Al-Zaidi Vows Iraqi Territory Will Not Be Used to Threaten Iran

Peregraf — Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian oversaw the signing of four agreements and memoranda of understanding on Thursday following high-level talks in Tehran, where Al-Zaidi stressed that Iraq would not allow its territory to be used to threaten Iran.

Leading the Iraqi delegation during joint talks with Iranian officials, Al-Zaidi said his visit reflected the depth of relations between Baghdad and Tehran and aimed to strengthen cooperation on political, economic, and regional issues.

"The security of Iraq and Iran is interconnected, and Iraq will not allow any threat to Iran to originate from its territory," Al-Zaidi said, according to a statement from his office.

The two sides discussed a range of bilateral issues, including establishing a mechanism for the Iraq-Iran Joint Economic Committee to advance economic cooperation and investment.

Al-Zaidi described Iraq and Iran as partners linked by "religion, civilization, geography, and culture," saying the visit sought to address issues affecting both countries and the wider region. He also recalled Iran's support for Iraq during the war against the Islamic State (ISIS) and called for expanding joint investments across multiple sectors.

Following the talks, Al-Zaidi and Pezeshkian presided over the signing of four agreements and memoranda of understanding covering shipping, rail infrastructure, municipal cooperation, and government administration. The accords included an agreement on international overland shipping and goods transport, and a memorandum on extending a railway line from Kermanshah through Khosravi and Khanaqin to Baghdad.

The two sides also signed a memorandum establishing a twinning arrangement between the Baghdad municipality and the Tehran municipality, along with a memorandum on cooperation in government administration and human resources training. Iraq's ministers of foreign affairs, electricity, and finance, along with the acting minister of planning, signed the agreements on Baghdad's behalf.

For his part, Pezeshkian praised the close ties between the two neighboring countries and emphasized the importance of security and stability in promoting bilateral development. He also highlighted what he described as significant opportunities for joint investment.

Al-Zaidi arrived in Tehran earlier Thursday for an official visit expected to include meetings with senior Iranian officials on bilateral relations, regional developments, economic cooperation, and energy issues, including Iranian gas exports to Iraq.