Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian has made his first official visit to Iraq as head of government.
Several questions have arisen regarding this trip. Because during the pre-election campaign he won the sympathy of southern Azerbaijanis by speaking Azerbaijani Turkish, showing goodwill towards Azerbaijan and other issues, some expected him to make his first visit to Baku. But this did not happen. Russian President Vladimir Putin invited him to the BRICS summit to be held in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, in October. Therefore, Masud Pezeshkia’s next visit to this country is planned. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev He also invited the head of the Iranian government to COP29. Therefore, Masud Pezeshkian is expected to visit Azerbaijan in November.
It can be assumed that if COP29 had not taken place, Pezeshkian could have made his first official visit to Baku.
Why did he choose Iraq? Massoud Pezeshkian is the first Iranian president to visit Iraq.
When the current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was head of government, he made his first trip to Syria, Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani to the UN, then to Senegal, Mohammad Khatami to Turkmenistan, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the UN, then to the Nakhchivan region of Azerbaijan, Hassan Rouhani to the Kyrgyz Republic, Ibrahim Raisi and they made it to Tajikistan.
Thus, it can be concluded that Masud Pezeshkian’s first visit to Iraq did not have any ideological or political-religious significance, because the heads of government who preceded him made their first visits to different countries.
It is true that he also visited Najaf, where the mausoleum of Imam Ali is located, and Karbala, where Imam Hussein was buried. However, it is not correct to evaluate these visits as an indicator of his religious faith. Where could he visit in Iraq? It would not be appropriate for him to commemorate those who died in the war with Iran. The most neutral pilgrimage was to visit holy places such as Najaf, Karbala and other cities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi said that this trip was planned for Ibrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter accident. A known incident caused the trip to be postponed. Therefore, Masud Pezeshkian continues the program of the previous 13th government in this issue and in other areas.
In fact, it is more logical for the presidents of the Islamic Republic to make their first visit to this country. Because one of the legal sources of the current constitution of this country is “Nahjul-Balagha”, which is a collection of speeches of Imam Ali. His tomb, the city where Imam Husayn and his followers fought, died and were martyred every year, is also located in this country. Najaf is considered the main center of the sect served by the Iranian authorities. These and similar factors provide a logical basis for the newly elected heads of government to make their first visit to Iraq. However, in this case, the authorities in Tehran will also accept Iraq as the center of the sect it serves. Iran considers the religious-ideological center of Qom to be larger. In this matter, the visible and invisible struggle between Najaf and Qum continues. Therefore, the Iranian presidents do not consider it important to make their first visit to Iraq.
After 2003, economic and trade relations between Iran and Iraq expanded. The 1980-88 war between the two countries ended with a ceasefire agreement in 1988. Since then, no peace treaty has been signed between the parties.
At the same time as the US-led international coalition, Iran also began to act actively in Iraq. Tehran was one of the leaders in determining power in Iraq. The Quds branch of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been active in this country. General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Jerusalem troops, was killed there by the US military. In addition, to protect interests and supporters in Iraq, it created the armed group “Hashde-Shabi”.
In recent years, Iran has been Iraq’s closest trading partner. In 2023, the volume of economic and trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $12 billion. Last year, the United States lifted sanctions imposed on $10 billion of Iranian funds frozen in Iraqi banks.
There are numerous issues of contention between the two countries regarding energy carriers, water, borders and the fight against terrorists.
Last year, a serious problem arose between the parties regarding the transmission of electricity, natural gas and water from Iraq to Iran.
One of the main problems between Iran and Iraq is the PKK terrorist group located on the territory of Iraq, especially in the north of the country, on the Qandil mountain, in the border area. Armed political groups such as the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Komila, from time to time commit acts of terrorism in Iran, especially in the province of West Azerbaijan with the central city of Urmia, in its border regions with Turkey they threaten local Turkish residents, they do not hide their desire to build a “Greater Kurdistan”, they claim the lands of Azerbaijan.
They are also active in the Kurdistan province of Iran. There are also skirmishes between Iranian military, border guards and militants of these organizations. Last year, Iranian authorities officially warned Baghdad and the local autonomous government of northern Iraq about the issue. It said that if these groups create a conflict and clash on the territory of Iran, then they will fire rockets at Mount Qandil and northern Iraq.
Following this warning, the Iraqi and northern governments expelled these illegal armed groups from the border with Iran. Before Masoud Pezeshkia’s visit, these groups were moved 40 kilometers from the border with Iran and moved north. According to reports, the Iraqi government is controlling them.
The Iranian president also visited northern Iraq. There he met with the head of the local government, Nechirvan Barzani, and the leader of the “Patriot Party”, Masoud Barzani.
It is not ruled out that the topic discussed at that meeting was discussed.
It should also be noted that some time ago a clash between Hashde-Shabi militants and Masoud Barzani took place in Mosul. The party leader then announced that he would take revenge.
In this respect, the conflict between Masoud Barzani’s forces and the pro-Iranians has not been resolved. By the way, Masoud Pezeshkian was born in the Mahabad (Soyugbulag) district of West Azerbaijan province. Although his mother is said to be Kurdish, he considers himself a Turk. Masoud Barzani fled from the pressures of Saddam Hussein’s government and took refuge in Iran. From this point of view, it is possible for them to recount their memories.
One of the issues discussed by the Iranian president and the government of northern Iraq may be the conflict between armed groups.
Northern Iraq, especially the Mosul region, is an oil-rich area. Establishing relations with the local government in this regard and developing prospects is also in the interest of the parties.
Previously, the Iranian authorities attempted to expand relations with the rulers of northern Iraq. Therefore, the expansion of relations in this direction can be discussed again.
The Tehran official also put forward a number of proposals, including the removal of border controls between the Islamic State and the creation of a regime similar to the Schengen zone, the rejection of the dollar in trade relations with Iraq, etc.
The world’s largest U.S. embassy and military base is located in Iraq. Iranian-affiliated forces are attacking the U.S. military. Although official Baghdad tries to remain neutral in the war between Hamas and Israel, it also makes statements criticizing Israel.
After Saddam Hussein, Iraq is full of contradictions. It has become a country where the interests of the United States and its allies, Iran, the northern government, the European Union, Russia and China collide and reconcile.
Therefore, finding common ground in the interests of such a contrasting country and Iran can help the security of the region. This visit is unlikely to affect the fundamental change in the relations between Iran and Iraq. Because although the KDP militants were withdrawn from the border with Iran to Komil, they were not disarmed. There is no change in the activities or existence of the “Hashde-Shabi” militants. The PKK terrorist group is also in its camp in Iraq. The United States did not withdraw its soldiers from the country, etc.
Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Iraq may therefore affect the development of issues such as trade and pilgrimages.
Information Agency “Report”
