Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met in Damascus on Monday to discuss expanding economic and energy cooperation between their two countries, marking the first visit by an Iraqi premier since al-Sharaa’s government assumed power in December 2024 following the ousting of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
The talks focused on strengthening bilateral ties, particularly in the fields of trade, energy, and security, amid shifting regional dynamics. Both sides highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation to promote peace and stability in the region. The discussions also included consideration of regional and international developments impacting both nations.
A key topic was the advancement of a joint initiative to revive and expand an oil export route from Iraq to the Mediterranean through Syria. This involves the Haditha-Banias pipeline, which has the potential to transport up to two million barrels of Iraqi oil per day via the Syrian port of Banias. Iraq has already begun limited oil exports by truck through Syria this year, a move driven by disruptions to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East. A consortium involving Chevron and two other companies is slated to undertake this infrastructure project.
The two leaders also emphasized increasing trade exchanges and fostering closer economic ties. The deepening relationship comes after a period of cautious engagement by Baghdad toward the new Syrian administration, which took power after more than thirteen years of civil war. Since Assad’s removal, several senior Iraqi officials from political, intelligence, and judicial sectors have conducted visits to Damascus.
The visit came shortly after al-Zaidi and al-Sharaa met last month on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Syrian state media reported al-Zaidi’s arrival at Damascus International Airport, and a statement from his office noted that he visited the Sayyida Zeinab shrine, one of Syria’s most frequented Shia pilgrimage sites.
In a recent interview with Iraq’s Dijlah TV, al-Sharaa described the past 18 months as a period of positive progress in the Syrian-Iraqi relationship, particularly in economic cooperation. He framed the partnership as rooted in shared historical and economic ties rather than sectarian divisions—an important consideration given Syria’s Sunni Muslim majority and Iraq’s predominantly Shia population.
On security issues, discussions touched upon the ongoing handling of detainees linked to the Islamic State group. Earlier this year, the United States transferred more than 5,700 IS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq, including approximately 3,000 Syrian nationals. Al-Sharaa expressed concern that some detainees had no connection to IS and asserted that Syria should assume responsibility for its own nationals, rather than shifting the burden to Iraq. He noted ongoing talks aimed at reviewing and categorizing these detainees’ cases.
Al-Sharaa’s tenure has not been without controversy. He was imprisoned in Iraq for several years following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion on charges related to Al-Qaeda. Last year, his attendance at an Arab League summit in Baghdad was blocked following opposition from influential Iraqi politicians, with the Syrian delegation headed instead by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
The meeting between al-Zaidi and al-Sharaa signals a further step toward normalization and cooperation between Iraq and Syria as both countries seek to rebuild and realign amid regional uncertainties.