BAGHDAD / Anadolu

The Iraqi and Iranian sides on Thursday signed four documents, including agreements and memoranda of understanding, targeting the sectors of transport, railways, local administration, as well as human resource development.

These understandings come within the framework of ongoing efforts to consolidate economic and political ties between neighboring regional countries.

This came during Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi's visit to the Iranian capital Tehran, which he began today and continues for two days, his second foreign visit since assuming office.

The Iraqi Prime Minister's media office stated in a statement that al-Zaidi and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian witnessed the signing ceremony of these understandings aiming to consolidate bilateral partnership.

The agreements, according to the statement, included an agreement for international road freight transport, a memorandum of understanding to extend a railway line linking Kermanshah, Khosravi, and Khanaqin to Baghdad, in addition to a twinning memorandum between the Baghdad Mayor's Office and the Tehran Municipality, and a memorandum of understanding in the field of government administration and human resources training.

The statement added that the agreements were signed on the Iraqi side by the ministers of foreign affairs, electricity, finance, and planning.

During the same visit, al-Zaidi met with the head of the Iranian judiciary, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, and the two sides discussed mechanisms to support common ties, especially judicial ones, according to a separate statement.

The statement explained that al-Zaidi affirmed Iraq's keenness to develop its relations with Iran and enhance joint cooperation, especially in economic fields, to achieve the interests of the two countries.

He also stressed that Iraq continues to play a supportive role for dialogue and resolving disputes in the region, emphasizing the importance of investing in current circumstances to push towards de-escalation.

For his part, Ejei, according to the statement, praised the Iraqi government's measures in combating corruption, expressing his country's readiness to cooperate with Baghdad in this field.

Al-Zaidi assumed the premiership last May, and on his first foreign trip, he visited Washington between July 13 and 18 of this month, where he met with US President Donald Trump, and a strategic partnership between the two countries was announced.

This visit gains special importance as it is the second foreign trip for Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi since assuming his duties last May, following his visit to Washington in July. The signed agreements reflect a mutual desire to expand frameworks of practical cooperation in the sectors of transport, infrastructure, and administration. The official meetings with Iranian leaders also highlight Baghdad's keenness to balance its regional and international relations. Observers will follow the extent of implementation of these provisions on the ground and their impact on regional stability.