Iraqi Prime Minister Visits Damascus in First Such Trip Since Assad's Fall

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Damascus on Wednesday for talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. It is the first visit to Syria by an Iraqi prime minister since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

The trip comes as the two neighboring countries look to strengthen their bilateral relations and expand cooperation on the economy and oil.

The official Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported that the two leaders discussed exporting Iraqi oil through the Baniyas line and raising the volume of trade between their countries. They also talked about working together to develop the agricultural sector, with the aim of achieving food and economic integration.

Iraq has recently started exporting limited quantities of oil through Syria, following the outbreak of the US-led war on Iran.

In July, the two countries signed agreements to revive the Haditha Baniyas pipeline, which would carry Iraqi oil. They also signed a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of three companies to carry out the project. The best known of these is the American oil major Chevron.

Quoted by INA, al-Zaidi said: "The Iraqi and Syrian people are one people in two countries." He said the aim was to develop partnership and joint cooperation in various fields, especially economic and social affairs, to enhance security cooperation, to unify positions on regional and international issues, and to work toward peace and stability in the region.

Al-Sharaa, for his part, expressed his "great appreciation for the visit of al-Zaidi and his accompanying delegation." He stressed the depth of relations between the two countries and said Syria was keen to reach the highest levels of cooperation with Iraq.

The two leaders had met before, in New York last September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. There they discussed ways to strengthen political and security coordination and to widen economic and trade cooperation.