Syrian President Ahmad al‑Sharaa received Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al‑Zaidi upon his arrival at Damascus International Airport on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Syrian Presidency.
The Presidency reported that the two leaders discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations and broaden cooperation in security, economic affairs and trade. They also reviewed regional and international developments, addressing several issues of shared concern with the aim of advancing mutual interests and reinforcing regional stability.
The Syrian delegation included the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Justice, Energy and Finance. The Iraqi side was represented by the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Oil and Justice, along with several senior officials.
The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office, in a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), noted that Zaidi reaffirmed that “the Iraqi and Syrian peoples are one people in two states.” He highlighted ongoing efforts to “develop joint partnership and cooperation across various sectors, particularly in economic and social fields, strengthen security coordination, unify stances on regional and international issues, and work toward achieving peace and stability in the region.”
According to the Media Office, the talks addressed several key files, including the export of Iraqi oil through the Baniyas pipeline, whose capacity reaches two million barrels per day, the expansion of trade volume and cooperation in agricultural development to promote food and economic integration.
Earlier, Iraqi government spokesperson Haider al‑Aboudi stated in a post on X that the visit would focus on the future of Syrian‑Iraqi relations, regional developments and their implications, as well as the geopolitical challenges confronting both countries.
Al‑Aboudi added that economic and trade cooperation would take precedence, driven by the need to establish investment partnerships capable of translating neighborly ties into shared interests and opportunities for growth. He noted that the visit reflects the Iraqi government’s approach to engagement, balance and dialogue, underscoring Baghdad’s commitment to strengthening relations with Damascus on the basis of mutual respect and common understanding to bolster the security and stability of both nations.
Economic Cooperation and Previous Engagement
The visit comes as part of ongoing political and economic engagement between Damascus and Baghdad, following a meeting between Zaidi and President Sharaa on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last September.
During earlier discussions, the two countries examined ways to enhance counter‑terrorism cooperation, secure shared borders, expand bilateral trade and assess the feasibility of rehabilitating pipelines to transport Iraqi oil through Syrian territory to the Mediterranean.
The visit was preceded by remarks from President al‑Sharaa during an interview with Iraq’s Dijlah TV on Tuesday evening, in which he underscored the importance of building bilateral relations on shared economic and security interests, particularly in water resources, agriculture, border crossings and energy.
President Sharaa stressed that economic ties form the historical backbone of Syrian‑Iraqi relations and called for their development to ensure sustainable cooperation resilient to political fluctuations.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
