Madar (International) - Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Damascus on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the first visit by an Iraqi prime minister to Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Al Jazeera English reported.
According to the official Iraqi News Agency (INA), the two leaders discussed exporting Iraqi oil through the Baniyas line, increasing trade and joint work to develop the agricultural sector.
Iraq recently began exporting limited quantities of oil through Syria following the outbreak of the US-led war on Iran. In July, the two countries signed agreements to revive the Haditha-Baniyas pipeline, along with a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of three companies, most notably US oil major Chevron.
"The Iraqi and Syrian people are one people in two countries," al-Zaidi said, according to INA, pointing to closer economic and social partnership, stronger security cooperation and coordinated positions on regional and international issues.
The Syrian president expressed his "great appreciation" for the visit, stressing "the depth of bilateral relations" and Syria's keenness to achieve "the highest levels of cooperation".
The two leaders previously met in September in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
