Pezeshkian Calls for the Abolition of Borders Among Islamic Countries in Iraq

The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, during a visit to Iraq, called for the formation of a joint union of Islamic countries and the abolition of borders among Islamic nations, similar to the experience of the European Union. These statements by Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday, September 21, come as Iran has been heavily engaged in the widespread expulsion of Afghan citizens since last year, while Iranian citizens are annually spending billions of dollars to purchase property in Turkey to obtain residency or citizenship. Additionally, countries to the south of Iran have increased restrictions on the entry of Iranian citizens due to security threats posed by the Islamic Republic, and Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan in the north have severely limited the entry of Iranian citizens. In his meeting with Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, his Iraqi counterpart, Pezeshkian also stated that strengthening unity among Islamic countries would render sanctions against Iran ineffective. The goals of Pezeshkian's first foreign trip are becoming clearer. Unlike Iran, which is under sanctions, Arab countries in the region have extensive relations with European countries and the United States in economic, trade, and even military fields. The Islamic Republic's reliance on its proxy forces in Iraq to circumvent sanctions, particularly through dollar smuggling into the country, has led to severe restrictions imposed by the U.S. on Iraqi banks, resulting in a dual exchange rate and inflation in Iraq, which has sparked protests among Iraqi citizens and challenged the economy of that country. Over the past years, the Islamic Republic has been trying to increase its influence by creating proxy groups in Muslim countries, and in cases like Yemen, it has caused the fragmentation of the country among political factions. The Islamic Republic of Iran has significant political influence in Iraq, and Tehran's allies dominate the current parliament and government in Baghdad. During Pezeshkian's visit to Iraq, a military base of the international coalition at Baghdad airport was also targeted by a missile attack. Concurrently with Pezeshkian's visit, the Iranian President emphasized the implementation of security cooperation agreements between Iran and Iraq in a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, stating that they must 'confront terrorists and enemies who have previously targeted the stability and security of the region.' The two countries had previously signed a security agreement during the visit of Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic, to Iraq in Esfand 1401, which aimed to end the activities of opponents of the Islamic Republic in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. During Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to Iraq, 14 cooperation agreements were signed between the two countries. The Iranian President further emphasized that 'we will adhere to the agreements and will pursue them vigorously in Iran to be implemented.' Unlike a contract, a memorandum of understanding does not create a legal obligation and only provides a basis for further negotiations for contract signing.