Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani affirmed on Tuesday his country's support for the choices of the Syrian people and its rejection of the Israeli incursion into Syrian territory, in his first phone call with Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara. The latter affirmed Damascus's respect for Iraq's sovereignty.
Al-Sudani affirmed, according to a statement issued by his office, "Iraq's rejection of the Zionist entity's incursion into Syrian territory, its support for the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of Syria, and its rejection of foreign interference."
For months, Israel has been launching airstrikes on Syria on an almost daily basis, killing civilians and destroying Syrian military sites, vehicles, and ammunition, even though the country's new administration has not threatened Tel Aviv in any way.
Since 1967, Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights. Taking advantage of the new situation in the country following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, Israel occupied the Syrian buffer zone and declared the collapse of the 1974 disengagement agreement between the two sides.
During the call, the Iraqi Prime Minister also affirmed his country's "firm position of standing by the choices of the brotherly Syrian people."
He stressed the importance of "the political process including all its components and factions, and of consolidating peaceful coexistence and community security, for the sake of a secure and stable future for Syria and the entire region."
In this context, Al-Sudani congratulated Al-Sharaa on the formation of the new government, which was announced last Saturday to replace the caretaker government.
The new government includes 23 ministers, including one woman, and five ministers from the transitional government formed on December 10, 2024, to manage the country's affairs following the overthrow of the Assad regime.
On the other hand, the two sides discussed the importance of "mutual cooperation in confronting the threat of ISIS, in addition to cooperation in economic fields, given common factors and opportunities," according to the same statement.
For his part, Sharaa affirmed to al-Sudani Syria's respect for Iraq's sovereignty, its commitment to non-interference in its internal affairs, and the necessity of cooperation in confronting common challenges, according to a statement from the Syrian presidency published by the official news agency SANA.
The statement added, "The two sides stressed the importance of opening a new page in bilateral relations, based on joint cooperation to confront regional challenges and prevent tension in the region."
The two sides noted the deep popular and economic ties between Syria and Iraq.
The call also addressed "border security and cooperation in combating drug smuggling, on the one hand, and the need to enhance security coordination to prevent any threats that could affect the stability of the two countries, on the other."
In mid-March, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Sheibani made an official visit to Iraq, during which he met with his counterpart Fuad Hussein, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, and other officials.
Iraq is one of the few Arab countries that maintained relations with the Assad regime after its suppression of the popular protests that began in 2011.
With the fall of the Assad regime, Al-Sudani said, "We are coordinating with Syria regarding securing the borders and the return of refugees, and we are ready to provide support. We do not want Syria to become a platform for foreign conflicts."
On February 14, the Iraqi Foreign Minister affirmed that "Iraq has no reservations or conditions for dealing with the new Syrian leadership, but rather a set of opinions related to our vision for Syria's future, but ultimately the decision and will rest with the Syrian people themselves."
On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions took control of the country, ending 61 years of Baath Party rule and 53 years of Assad family rule.