Iraq, Syria to deepen ties as Al-Zaidi meets Al-Sharaa in New York

New York (IraqiNews.com) — Iraq and Syria stepped up ties under Damascus’ new leadership on Tuesday, with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi meeting Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in New York amid rising regional economic and security concerns. The meeting, which took place on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, discussed bilateral cooperation as well as attempts to lessen regional tensions, according to the Iraqi Prime Minister’s office. The talks are vital for Baghdad because Iraq desires greater economic ties with Syria as well as alternate trade and energy channels at a time when fighting with Iran has hindered shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the primary outlet for Iraqi petroleum exports. Iraq has already begun to search for methods to send additional oil north via Turkey, as the strait’s interruption highlights the hazards of depending largely on southern export facilities. Baghdad has begun shipping some southern oil to Kirkuk as part of a plan to boost exports via Turkey’s Ceyhan Port. Syria might become another significant Western outlet. Baghdad and Damascus have been exploring new energy and transportation linkages, including ambitions to ultimately connect Iraqi oil to Mediterranean and European markets. The Al-Zaidi-Al-Sharaa summit also signals a significant change in the relationship between Baghdad and Damascus after the demise of Bashar al-Assad’s administration and the steep reduction in Iranian influence in Syria. The relationship is especially significant for Iraq given Al-Sharaa’s own history. Before seizing power in Damascus, Assad participated in the Iraqi resistance during the 2003 US-led invasion and was held by US troops in Iraq for many years. He then returned to Syria and created the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, before leaving al-Qaeda to manage Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Despite this history, Baghdad has now appointed Al-Sharaa as Syria’s president, highlighting the strategic necessity of preserving working ties between two nations with a long border and important interests in security, commerce, energy, and regional transit. The meeting took place at the UN General Assembly, where diplomacy is dominated by the ongoing struggle between the United States and Iran. Iraq has worked to avoid getting drawn further into the conflict while developing ties with Gulf neighbors, Turkey, the United States, and Syria. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack, who has played an important diplomatic role in regional affairs, welcomed the meeting, posting on X that Iraq and Syria were moving toward greater cooperation, stability, and economic ties. Al-Zaidi and Al-Sharaa also attended a larger summit in New York hosted by US President Donald Trump, which included presidents and senior officials from the GCC, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. The talks focused on regional security, global commerce, and supply chains, as Middle Eastern crises continue to affect energy markets. Baghdad’s improved links with Damascus might serve both economic and geopolitical purposes, such as creating new westward routes, increasing cross-border security, and mending ties with a Syria that is no longer controlled by Iran as it was under Assad.