Iraq-KSA: A new step toward strengthening relationships

Shafaq News / Today, Monday, the Iraqi ambassador in Riyadh, Qahtan al-Janabi, revealed new consultations with Saudi Arabia to cancel entry visas between the two countries, and indicated the opening of a new port.

Al-Janabi said in a statement reported by the Saudi newspaper "Okaz", and viewed by Shafaq News Agency, that "bilateral consultations are underway between Saudi Arabia and Iraq to cancel entry visas for diplomatic passport holders, and abolish fees for regular passport holders, to facilitate the movement of citizens between the two countries which will revitalize the economy.

He stated that "the opening of a new port in jeideh Arar will bring a noticeable economic improvement to the city of Arar and the nearby cities, in addition to the Anbar governorate and Nukhayb," expecting that the port will be open soon.

He pointed out, "King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his crown prince, was support the opening on Iraq," pointing to "the success of security cooperation between the two countries led to limit ISIS and other terrorist groups  movements."

 It is scheduled that the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, will make a visit to Saudi Arabia, which was previously postponed due to the hospitalization of the Saudi monarch.

On July 19, 2020, an Iraqi delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ali Allawi held meetings in Riyadh with the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council to preparing for the visit of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to KSA.

Since he assumed the power, King Salman resumed diplomatic relations with Iraq after 25 years of severing ties due to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

In June 2017, the former Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi visited Saudi Arabia, which resulted in the establishment of the Joint Coordinating Council, in October 2017.

The first Saudi passenger plane landed at Baghdad Airport on October 18, 2017, which is the first in 27 years.

Also,  in November 2018, King Salman bin Abdulaziz received the Iraqi President, Barham Salih, one month after he assumed office.

On April 4, Saudi Arabia opened a consulate in Baghdad, as a new step, in a continuous process of strengthening the growing relations between the two countries.