“The regional role of Iraq has become more prominent today than ever before,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told Iranian state media.
“Considering the privileged relationship we have with Iraq and the various issues that are on the agenda of the relations between the two countries, we feel satisfied and pleased that the friendly and brotherly country of Iraq is in its natural place in the region,” he added.
Abdollahian arrived in the Iraq on Tuesday upon the invitation of Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein.
The Iranian foreign minister is set to meet with Iraq’s three presidencies and the Iraqi foreign minister to “discuss bilateral relations at all levels and ways to adopt dialogue as a way to enhance aspects of joint cooperation, in a way that enhances the security and stability of the region and reflects positively on the two neighboring people,” Iraqi Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed al-Sahaf told Iraqi state media.
Iran and Iraq have shared a strong relationship since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Tehran has since increased its influence over Baghdad, and the country has dozens of armed groups who are affiliated to the Shiite rule in Tehran.
Both countries also share a strong economic relationship.
Iraq’s main purchases from Iran are agricultural products, engineering services, construction materials, and energy, such as electricity and natural gas. Baghdad has received waivers from Washington allowing it to buy Iranian electricity and natural gas.
Tehran in 2022 announced that they expect over $9 billion worth of goods to its neighbor by March 2023.
In 2021, Iran said they had exported $11 billion worth of food and agricultural products to Iraq in five years. In 2019, Iraq accounted for around $9 billion of Iran’s $12.5 billion in exports.
