Iraq Potential to be Goods Transit Hub to Iran

Iran's ambassador to Iraq said that Tehran and Baghdad share great potentiality to increase cooperation, adding that Iraq is potential to be goods transit hub to Iran. Iraj Masjedi, the Iranian ambassador to Iraq made the remarks in separate meetings with tribal leaders of Baghdad, Al-Anbar and Erbil.  "Iraq could be one of the largest transit countries in the region and a bridge between the West and the East, and Iran supports this," Masjedi said. Stating that the geopolitics of Iran and Iraq is almost the same, he said, "History and geography cannot be changed and Iran and Iraq have a lot in common on these issues." Referring to Iraq's railway development plan, including in Basra province, he said, "Iraq can be connected to China through the railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran and it can increase its strategic importance in the region."

The Iranian ambassador to Iraq stressed that Basra port should be rebuilt, saying, "Now only small ships can dock at this port, but through developing and equipping the port along with dredging the Arvand River can change the situation and greatly contribute to the prosperity of the port and can boost Iraq transit potentiality." Masjedi continued, "Iraqi production may be low, but in the transit of goods produced by other countries, including Iran, it enjoys great potentiality." He pointed out that Iraq is one of the most important parts of the Silk Road. The diplomat also said that Iran currently has two power plants under construction in Iraq, one of which is very big.

Masjedi said that there are power shortages of at least 20,000 megawatts in Iraq, and added that the inauguration of new power plants will solve the country's problem, especially in the southern provinces of Basra, Dhi Qar and Samawah. Masjedi also referred to other shared similarities between Iran and Iraq and said that the two countries are not at odds with each other and instead they are good opportunities for each other. He also said that there is currently not the slightest insecurity along the 1,400-kilometer shared border between Iran and Iraq, and security problems are entering Iraq from other Iraqi borders, especially in the west. - Mehr