Iraq is one of Syria’s closest allies in the Arab region, with relations further cemented by Damascus's return to the Arab League last month, experts told The National on Wednesday.
Baghdad was the first stop for Syria’s Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad on Sunday, following Damascus’s emergence from years of diplomatic isolation.
Mr Mekdad spoke to Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein on the need to combat illegal drugs trade, ensure the safe return of Iraqi and Syrian refugees and provide humanitarian aid.
Iraqi foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Al Sahaf told The National that stability in Syria reflects on both Iraq and the rest of the region.
“We have been pushing for the return of Damascus for years back into the Arab League and Baghdad was one of the initiators for this,” he said. “We will continue to work together.”
For years, Iraq has struggled to create a coherent foreign policy with any of its neighbours, but senior Iraqi officials, even throughout the conflict in Syria, continued relations with President Bashar Al Assad’s regime, said Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq initiative at Chatham House in London.
Ties between Baghdad and Damascus “have always been there”, Mr Mansour told The National. And after Syria’s reintegration into the Arab League, “certainly Baghdad is one of its closest allies as a neighbour especially”, he said.
Despite Syria's civil unrest, Iraq remained an ally of Damascus throughout the wider Arab boycott, never severing relations and maintaining close co-operation.
This was seen through the fight against ISIS extremists when they took over large swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014.
On May 7, the Arab League voted to readmit Syria after its suspension in 2011 over Mr Al Assad’s brutal repression of pro-democracy protests that later devolved into an all-out war.
Baghdad, at the time, had abstained from the vote that resulted in Damascus’s suspension.
Syria’s best relations with the Arab world has been with Iraq, Sajad Jiyad told The National.
“Al Assad is grateful for that relationship with Baghdad and his position has changed tremendously. Pre-2010, there was many tensions over suicide bombers crossing in, as well as Al Qaeda and ISIS operatives,” said Mr Jiyad, who is based in Baghdad and a fellow at the Century Foundation.
“But those days are over,” he said.
Closer security ties
The sides share share a 600km desert border that has continued to see militant activity even years after the defeat of ISIS.
“The control of the Syrian border is extremely important to Iraqis. They cannot rest and always worry about what is coming across the border,” Mr Jiyad said.
Drug trafficking has also proliferated in past years, with the trade of the amphetamine-like drug Captagon exploding in the region, much of it across the Syria-Iraq border.
“The size of drugs that has been captured is massive by Iraqi authorities and Iraq is pushing to crack down on the drug industry.”
Mr Mansour said the sides have historically had problematic relations on the border.
“It has been an on-off type of relationship and the drug issue would highlight that,” he said.
Iraqi authorities have seized a lorry carrying three million Captagon pills at Al Qaim, a town on the Iraqi-Syrian border.
The area has long been a stronghold of Iran-backed Iraqi militias, who also control the town of Albu Kamal on the Syrian side of the border, using the area to store and move weapons.
“There’s been reports that Al Qaim has been a big hub for drug trade and of course both states have counter drug policy, but it’s a fragmented relationship,” Mr Mansour said.
In recent months, Iraqi security forces have intensified narcotics operations with several high-profile drug seizures reported.
Mr Jiyad said Baghdad stands to gain a lot if it has a stable neighbouring Syria and there is a lot of threat if instability increases.
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Country-size land deals
US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
CHELSEA SQUAD
Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, James, Kenedy, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Havertz, Lukaku.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Abu Dhabi GP starting grid
1 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
3 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
6 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
7 Romain Grosjean (Haas)
8 Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
9 Esteban Ocon (Force India)
10 Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
11 Carlos Sainz (Renault)
12 Marcus Ericsson (Sauber)
13 Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
14 Sergio Perez (Force India)
15 Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
16 Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
17 Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
18 Stoffe Vandoorne (McLaren)
19 Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
20 Lance Stroll (Williams)
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
