Iraq
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressing new envoys to the country at a Kremlin event of submitting diplomatic credentials by foreign ambassadors on April 5, 2023. Photo: Iraqi Embassy in the Russian Federation/Facebook
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday condemned any foreign interference in Iraq’s internal affairs while praising the historic Moscow-Baghdad relations.
Putin provided the diplomatic credentials of foreign ambassadors to Russia in the Kremlin on Wednesday, with one of the new envoys being Iraq’s Ambassador to Russia, Qahtan Taha Khalaf.
"We categorically condemn any outside interference in the internal affairs of your country, Mr. ambassador," Putin told Khalaf during the ceremony, adding “Russia has consistently stood for respecting the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Iraq.”
The Russian president was likely referring to the US which has maintained strong influence in Iraq since its invasion of the country in 2003. Baghdad has since worked towards maintaining a balanced stance between American-Russian tensions.
Russia’s ambassador to Iraq last month said Washington was seeking to complicate Russian-Iraqi relations, but praised Baghdad for managing to balance its ties to the two powers.
Moscow emerged as a key regional powerhouse following its backing of neighboring Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, providing Russia with a sphere of influence in the Middle East. It also maintains an amicable relation with Iran, another important player in Iraqi politics.
Iraq and the Kurdistan Region share close economic ties with Russia as a number of Russian oil companies operate both in the Region and in oilfields in southern Iraq. The two countries first established diplomatic relations in 1944.
The Russian president said that bilateral trade between Moscow and Baghdad has demonstrated a “steady growth” over the past two years, expressing hope to maintain and strengthen economic ties by diversifying economic cooperation.
Iraq and Russia signed an agreement on Sunday exempting holders of diplomatic, service and special passports from entry visas.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) signed contracts with giant Russian oil and gas firms in 2014 and 2017 to work in several oilfields across the Region, implementing geological exploration programs and exporting crude oil.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Baghdad in February with a trip mainly aimed at solving the financial dues of Russian companies in Iraq.
Lukoil, Gazprom Neft, and Rosneft are some of the major Russian oil and gas companies operating in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
In March 2022, Iraq abstained from voting against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a United Nations resolution, showing Baghdad’s willingness to maintain its relations with Moscow.
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