Iran Works to Keep Iraq Open for Business
Iranian officials traveled to Baghdad this week to push for expanded trade and energy ties as it tries to undercut U.S. efforts to weaken Iraq’s economic links to its neighbor. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif is in Iraq this week with a delegation of more than 50 companies. The visit comes a week after Iranian […]Ghassan Adnan and Isabel Coles write for The Wall Street Journal:
Iranian officials traveled to Baghdad this week to push for expanded trade and energy ties as it tries to undercut U.S. efforts to weaken Iraq’s economic links to its neighbor.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif is in Iraq this week with a delegation of more than 50 companies. The visit comes a week after Iranian energy officials traveled to Baghdad to discuss strengthening energy links and keeping Iranian natural gas flowing to Iraq, where it accounts for over 40% of the country’s electricity needs.
The visits from top Iranian officials highlight the tightrope that Iraq walks, as competition intensifies between Iran and the U.S. for influence in Iraqi politics and market share of its economy. Iran and the U.S. both helped Iraq defeat Islamic State but are now locked in an economic battle after the Trump administration pulled out of the nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions.
