The files we follow: Iran’s relations with its neighbouring countries, Iran and the BRICS.
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Iraq: A priority for the Islamic Republic of Iran?
Since taking office on 28 July 2024, Iran’s new President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has made his first official foreign visit to Iraq from 11 to 13 September, becoming the first Iranian president to choose this neighboring country as his inaugural destination, marking Iraq as a regional strategic priority in Iran’s foreign policy.
What is President Pezeshkian’s message, and does it signal change or continuity compared to previous Iranian presidents?
Reformists, such as President Hassan Rouhani (2013-2021), typically prioritized relations with the West, while hardliners have often focused on strengthening ties with neighboring countries. For example, President Ebrahim Raisi (2021-2024) worked to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia and reinforced connections with Gulf Arab states, Jordan, and Iraq, while relations with the West deteriorated. This strong signal from the new Iranian government reflects a balance between a moderate approach toward the international community, as he called for a new era of cooperation with the West during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in September, and a conservative approach within the region by continuing to improve relations and prioritize economic diplomacy with neighboring countries, thereby respecting the supreme leader and the regime’s wish to continue the late President Raisi’s path. His loyalty secures strong parliamentary support for his government, indicating the supreme leader’s approval of his policies. During his visit, he referred to Iraq as “our friendly and brotherly neighbor”, highlighting the importance of unity and cooperation between the two nations. His three-day trip included symbolic visits, such as a monument to Qassem Soleimani, the former Quds Force leader, part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), assassinated in 2020 by the U.S. in Baghdad, and a visit to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish autonomous region, where he met with Nechervan Idris Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Region, along with other senior officials.
How are their relations?
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