From Moscow to Washington; Iraq Seeks Stability Wherever It Is

Iraq has been the scene of various ups and downs in the twenty-first century. The new millennium started with war and occupation for the nation and continued with public dissatisfaction, economic downturn and instability. The second decade, hoped to be a better one, proved even more horrendous with the emergence of ISIS and the advent of extremism and terror across the country. It ended with popular uproar and long months of protests by people who were dissatisfied with the administrative service deliveries and economic hardships. Two decades of conflicts and instability was enough for the nation to follow a different track, seeking allies in the region and elsewhere to improve political, security and economic potency of the nation.

Iraqi administration under Al-Sudani has set its sights on growing the foundation of the country’s diplomatic might throughout the Middle East, pursuing a balanced foreign policy, and eschewing a confrontational approach. Iraqi Prime Minister declared in his UN address last year that the objective of this strategy has been to maintain peace and integrity within the country and without, attaining development and financial growth, and serving the interests of the nation and public satisfaction. The Iraqi PM has been eager to travel to various nations in the west and the east including Germany, the United States and regional nations, like Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Al-Sudani has also been eager to attend the Arab-Chinese summit in Saudi Arabia, expecting to boost ties with Arab nations and China on various political and non-political spheres. Iraq’s objective has been to forge alliances and deepen connections with all nations based on shared preferences. In a similar spirit, Al-Sudani accepted a formal invitation from Russian President.

For long decades, the two nations have had diplomatic ties spanning a wide range of topics, notably defense and economy sectors. Earlier in the current century, Moscow cleared almost all of Iraq’s debt, around $12 billion. A group of Russian oil giants operate profitably in Baghdad, carrying a great part of the country’s energy burdens. Lukoil is currently exploring the Western Qurna field and extracting 480,000 bpd while Gazprom, another Russian company, operates in various other fields in the south and the east. Vladimiir Putin has recurrently reaffirmed Moscow’s keen interest to assist in the execution of significant initiatives in Iraq, particularly those related to transportation and energy.

Russia, along with Saudi Arabia, chairs OPEC+, while Iraq is the organization’s second oil supplier in terms of the volume of extraction and exports. Baghdad works with Moscow and other nations to establish production volumes that support the sustainability of market and the balance in prices on international marketplaces. Thus, the growth of their collaboration is crucial for the world energy industry. This energy security, which effectively balances the requirements of producing and importing nations alike, is a crucial component in the expansion of the regional and worldwide economies. Russia has unquestionably contributed to Syrian administration over the past decade and has kept the nation safe from the grasp of extremist groups and ISIS fighters. Given that Syria had been the birthplace and current home of ISIS fighters and their caliphate, and since any breakdown in its safety would undermine Iraq’s peace and stability, the country views Syrian stability as one of the cornerstones of its own integrity and sovereignty.

Shifting aside from the adversarial stance entails reinforcing partnerships between rival factions, with Iraq serving as a moderating influence when called upon. Baghdad has been an intermediary drive and an effective mediator between Saudi Arabia and Iran, bringing their perspectives closer. As a result, this position has already had significant results in the dynamics of regional developments, as seen by the deal made in China in 2023 to reestablish their diplomatic ties.

By cooperative economic initiatives like the development road connecting Iraq’s Al-Faw with the Turkish border, Iran-Iraq railway line, and the electricity agreement with Riyadh, Amman, and other Arab nations, Baghdad has boosted collaborations with most of its neighbors. Additionally, the country hopes to expand its commercial relationships with other key actors on the global scene, such as Russia, that shares energy security and financial priorities with Iraq. Following the Ukraine invasion and the ensuing economic sanctions by western powers, Russia has started a diligent bid to collaborate with smaller countries with large resources and larger goals.

Last year’s visit to Moscow occurred during a conflict that has been raging for over two years, emotionally and economically harming the interests of people across the world. In order to achieve a thorough, fair, and durable stability, Baghdad consistently insists on the end of the war through negotiations and political solutions. For this reason, and due to the country’s ongoing military and financial dependence on the United States, Iraq favored a proposed resolution at the UN demanding the departure of Russian troops from Ukraine. There are still thousands of American troops inside bases in Iraq, although not for a military purpose, and Baghdad has to pose a middle position in the indirect conflicts between Russia and the United States. After over two years of fighting, Baghdad administration still feels that Iraq’s moderate stance on the events in Ukraine and its persistent calls for negotiation are the sole means to end it, as every nation bears a cost for the ongoing hostilities.

Iraq’s economic development and peace in the area depend on the termination of conflicts, including the Gaza war, which will allow resources to be directed toward the economic growth that the nation has been pursuing since the fall of former dictator Saddam Hussain. Formal engagements concentrate on the shared goals of the guest and the host nation. Baghdad has had deep and established ties with these nations and does not have red lines or conflicts with the nations it interacts with. As such, Al-Sudani itinerary has been set in a way that included, and includes, opposing countries, nations from various poles of the new multipolar world order.

Iraqi foreign policy agenda is keeping the commitments it made according to its grand policy playbook. In order to maintain Iraq’s security and peace, Al-Sudani has started a bid to cultivate ties with supportive and allied nations and turning the nation from a hotbed of strife into a forum for the exchange of ideas. In accordance with its values of maintaining boundaries and shielding the nation from the epicenter of confrontations and wars in which it does not intend to be involved, Iraq has maintained a neutral role based on self-interest and the policy of making more partnerships. The role has been previously assumed by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, seemingly showing a fresh trend among the Arab nations whose opportunistic activism means to ride the nation to peace and prosperity through bypassing the fire and violence in the region and the world.