Iran-Iraq Cooperation: Five MoUs on Trade, Healthcare and Oil Industry

By Staff, Agencies

Iran and Iraq signed five memorandums of understanding for the expansion of bilateral cooperation in various economic and healthcare sectors.

The documents were signed by senior officials of the two countries during Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s historic visit to the country.

According to the documents, Tehran and Baghdad will improve cooperation in the fields of trade, healthcare and oil industry.

The two sides also agreed on the construction of a railroad link between the Iranian city of Shalamcheh and the Iraqi city of Basra as well as visa facilitation for investors and businessmen. According to the visa agreement, starting in early April 2019, the two countries will issue visas to each other's nationals free of charge.

Tehran and Baghdad signed another memorandum of understanding to boost cooperation between Iran's Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade and Iraq’s Ministry of Trade.

The two countries also agreed to cooperate in all fields related to healthcare while another agreement pertained to cooperation between Iran's Ministry of Petroleum and its Iraqi counterpart.

Rouhani is in Baghdad on his first visit to the country since 2013. The trip is aimed at solidifying strategic ties despite US efforts to keep the two neighbors apart and curb Iran's influence in the region.