Iran president says relations with Iraq ‘priority’, hails proximity of two nations
President Masoud Pezeshkian says Iran prioritizes its relations with Iraq, as the two countries are eager to enhance their bilateral ties.
“The relationship with Iraq is one of the most important arenas of the Islamic Republic's foreign ties,” Pezeshkian said in a phone call with his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Latif Rashid on Friday, stressing the “brotherly” ties between the two neighboring countries.
Pezeshkian appreciated the phone call made by Rashid to congratulate the Iranian president on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, and the Persian New Year.
The Iranian president also hoped an in-person meeting would take place with the Iraqi president so the two sides could discuss “ways to strengthen empathy and cohesion, and further expand mutual relations to ensure peace and development for the peoples of Iran and Iraq, as well as the regional nations.”
In the phone conversation, Rashid said “Iraq’s people and government have always wished the best for their neighbors and friends in Iran.”
“Iraq is ready for any kind of cooperation and collaboration with the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to enhance the stability, security and prosperity of the two countries and other nations in the region.”
Earlier this month, Pezeshkian reaffirmed the Islamic Republic’s commitment to strengthening its relations with its friendly neighbor Iraq, saying Iran is determined to implement all the agreements between Tehran and Baghdad in order to thwart enemies’ plots in the region.
He made the remarks in a phone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on April 1, weeks after the administration of US President Donald Trump decided to revoke Iraq’s sanctions waiver for importing electricity from Iran.
The US move has put the country's ability to meet its domestic energy needs at risk.
Currently, approximately 80 percent of Iraq’s electricity generation depends on natural gas, making the country heavily dependent on Iranian imports to sustain its power grid.
In July 2022, Iraq signed a five-year contract with Iran to import 400 megawatts of electricity.
In March 2024, another agreement was reached to increase Iranian gas imports to 50 million cubic meters per day, valued at around $6 billion annually.
Officials in both countries have already warned that Iraq would face major electricity supply issues if it stops importing electricity from Iran because of US sanctions.
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