A further deepening of ties between Iran and neighboring Iraq should be seen as a positive step toward bolstering regional cooperation, as Baghdad is rising from the ashes to become a strong political force, a political analyst said.
“[Iraqi Prime Minister] Adel Abdul Mahdi’s visit to Tehran is not against any country, but would rather benefit many of the countries concerned about it,” Sadeq Maleki also wrote in a recent article published by the Iranian Diplomacy website.
Iraq’s prime minister recently visited the Iranian capital for talks with Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani and a number of other senior officials on a range of bilateral and regional issues.
His trip followed Rouhani’s first official visit to Baghdad in March, during which the two sides agreed to boost trade, establish a rail link between the two countries and take steps to remove travel restrictions for tourists and investors.
The president has called on both countries to expand their gas and electricity dealings and boost bilateral trade from the current level of about $12 billion to $20 billion, despite difficulties caused by US sanctions imposed against Tehran after the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
“Closer relations between Tehran and Baghdad could be beneficial for the region because it could be interpreted as the most serious step yet toward bringing regional countries closer and building a strong region,” Maleki said.
Shared Security
The analyst maintains that the Iraqi premier’s trips to Turkey and Saudi Arabia has not been a source of concern for Tehran, as Iranian officials have viewed them positively because they are confident that such interactions can benefit the entire region against a backdrop of intertwined security interests.
“Iran believes that security and prosperity of one regional country is directly linked with security and prosperity of another country in the region,” he said.
Maleki noted that Iraq is emerging as a force to reckon with, given its geopolitical importance and increased political and security stability following its struggle with the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group that captured a third of Iraq in 2014.
“Due to its history, culture, demography, religion and special geographical position, Iraq could act as a link among Tehran, Ankara and Riyadh so that they can work together to protect their collective interests.”
If Iraqi authorities and groups demonstrate a political will, Iraq can be a “balancing power” rather than a hotspot of tensions and conflicts, he added.
“The Iraqi prime minister’s visit [to Tehran] had political, economic and security purposes, but it seems that it was more a political trip meant to send a message to regional countries and beyond,” he said, expressing hope that all actors in the region would embrace the “new Iraq”.
