Iraqi Prime Minister arrives in Damascus for first visit since December 2024 Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Damascus on Wednesday, where he was received by Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara'a, Syrian media reported. The visit marks the first trip to Syria by an Iraqi prime minister since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Syrian state television reported that Shara welcomed Zaidi and his accompanying delegation at Damascus International Airport. Shara and Zaidi also held talks last month in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. In an interview that was broadcast yesterday by the Iraqi television channel Dijala, Sharaa welcomed Zaidis' visit, and stated that "in the last year and a half, something positive has been built in Syrian-Iraqi relations, especially in economic matters." In an interview, Sharaa said that some of the approximately 3,000 Syrian detainees transferred to Iraq "have no connection" to ISIS, and added that efforts are being made to classify the detainees, assess Syria's responsibility and examine options for their return to Israel.

Iraqi Prime Minister arrives in Damascus for first visit since December 2024 Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Damascus on Wednesday, where he was received by Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara'a, Syrian media reported. The visit marks the first trip to Syria by an Iraqi prime minister since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Syrian state television reported that Shara welcomed Zaidi and his accompanying delegation at Damascus International Airport. Shara and Zaidi also held talks last month in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. In an interview that was broadcast yesterday by the Iraqi television channel Dijala, Sharaa welcomed Zaidis' visit, and stated that "in the last year and a half, something positive has been built in Syrian-Iraqi relations, especially in economic matters." In an interview, Sharaa said that some of the approximately 3,000 Syrian detainees transferred to Iraq "have no connection" to ISIS, and added that efforts are being made to classify the detainees, assess Syria's responsibility and examine options for their return to Israel.