Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (2nd R) and visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi (2nd L) attend a signing ceremony in Tehran, Iran, on July 23, 2026. (Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office/Handout via Xinhua)
TEHRAN/BAGHDAD, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Iraq on Thursday signed an agreement and three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to enhance bilateral relations and strengthen regional security, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.
The deals were signed by high-ranking officials from both sides in a ceremony in Tehran attended by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, according to the report.
The agreement pertains to road transportation of goods, and the MoUs cover the construction of a railway between the two countries, sisterhood arrangements between Tehran and Baghdad, and cooperation in public administration, education, and human resources.
In a subsequent meeting, Pezeshkian and al-Zaidi stressed that promoting bilateral relations will help improve stability, security, and welfare for both countries, as well as solidarity and consistency within the West Asia region, according to a statement on the Iranian president's office website.
They underlined the deep historical, cultural, religious, and people-to-people ties between their countries, highlighting the necessity to preserve and strengthen "this valuable asset" as a basis for expanding strategic cooperation, said the statement.
Both leaders called for accelerating the implementation of previously signed agreements and activating joint capacities in the political, economic, trade, transit, and energy sectors, it added.
Al-Zaidi emphasized that the security of Iraq and Iran is interconnected and that Iraq will not allow any threat to Iran to originate from its territory, according to a statement by his media office.
He also recalled Iran's support for Iraq during the war against the Islamic State terrorist group and called for joint investments across various sectors, the statement added.
For his part, Pezeshkian highlighted significant joint investment opportunities and noted that security and stability positively contribute to bilateral development.
The two sides also discussed establishing a mechanism for the work of the Iraq-Iran Joint Economic Committee, it noted.
Heading a high-ranking delegation, al-Zaidi arrived in Tehran on Thursday on an official visit at Pezeshkian's invitation. The visit is his second foreign trip since taking office in May, following a visit to Washington earlier this month. ■
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (R) meets with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Tehran, Iran, on July 23, 2026. (Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office/Handout via Xinhua)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (R) meets with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Tehran, Iran, on July 23, 2026. (Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office/Handout via Xinhua)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (R) meets with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Tehran, Iran, on July 23, 2026. (Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office/Handout via Xinhua)
