What We Know About the Plans and Goals of Masoud Pezeshkian's First Foreign Trip

Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of Iran, traveled to Iraq on Wednesday, September 21, for his first foreign trip in this position. Mohammad Kazem Al Sadiq, the Iranian ambassador to Iraq, told ISNA news agency that this two-day trip is at the invitation of Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, the Prime Minister of Iraq, and will include the provinces of Baghdad, Basra, and Erbil. According to Al Sadiq, if conditions permit, Pezeshkian will also visit the shrines of Shia Imams in Karbala and Najaf. In addition to Mohammad Kazem Al Sadiq, Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, and media from both Iran and Iraq have stated that this trip has various security, diplomatic, and economic dimensions. Pezeshkian's trip to Iraq comes shortly after the implementation of a security agreement between Tehran and Baghdad. In Esfand 1401 (February 2023), Iran and Iraq signed a security agreement, under which Tehran gave Iraq until September 28, 1402 (September 2023) to disarm Iranian Kurdish parties based in the Kurdistan region and close their military camps. According to information received last September from individuals close to the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, the bases of the Kurdish parties in border areas have been completely evacuated. These informed individuals stated that the forces stationed at the border bases were transferred to camps under the supervision of the United Nations. On Thursday, September 15, just before Pezeshkian's trip, several forces from the Komala parties were evacuated from their camps in the border areas shared with Iran and transferred to the Surdash camp, located 40 kilometers from the Iranian border. Remaining Komala forces and their families were also given until the end of the current fiscal year to move to the Surdash camp. Two members of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan also told Radio Farda on Friday, September 16, that Behzad Khosravi, a member of the Democratic Party residing in Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, was arrested about a week ago by the region's security forces and was handed over to the security agencies of the Islamic Republic of Iran a few days later. This comes as, in late Tir (July) of this year, Iran's judiciary provided a list to the Iraqi government including about 120 leaders and members of Kurdish opposition parties based in the Kurdistan region, requesting their extradition. Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, also stated at a press conference on September 19 that prior to this, security cooperation agreements between the two countries had focused on disarming 'terrorist and separatist groups.' He said that during this trip, the issue of security and sustainable security in the region and deepening the security of shared borders would be of concern to the officials of both countries. Fada Hossein Maleki, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, also stated that this trip would emphasize the implementation of previous agreements in the Kurdistan region, as well as security and border issues, to alleviate existing concerns in these areas. In addition to security issues, it is expected that 'economy' will be another important topic during the Iranian President's trip to Iraq. One of the most significant economic projects between the two sides is the railway line between the city of Basra in Iraq and the city of Shalamcheh in Iran, which the Iranian government aims to connect to the ports of Syria. Iraqi media, including the Al-Sumaria network, have reported that Mr. Pezeshkian and his accompanying delegation will discuss the potential impact of the 'Iraq Development Program' on Iran's crossings with Iraqi officials. The Basra province has attracted more attention from Gulf Arab countries than any other region in Iraq in recent years, partly due to its proximity to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Gulf Arab countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, have made significant investments in Basra, and Iraq and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement to establish a joint free trade zone at their border. The Iranian ambassador to Iraq told ISNA news agency that there is a possibility that several economic projects will also be launched during the trip to Basra. On the other hand, substantial amounts of Iran's revenue from electricity sales to Iraq have been blocked in Iraqi banks due to U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Previously, Tarek Alhashem Alfihaan, the Vice President of the Iraqi Chamber of Commerce, announced that the amount of Iran's blocked funds in Iraqi banks has reached $11 billion. In recent months, Iran has repeatedly negotiated with Iraq regarding ways to utilize this money. In the diplomatic arena, it is expected that Tehran will seek to strengthen Iraq's role as a regional mediator, especially between Iran and other Arab countries. Iraq has so far played a prominent role in bridging views between Iran and Saudi Arabia and has also mediated several times between Iran and the Arab countries of Egypt and Jordan. 'Strengthening relations with regional countries' is among the foreign policy programs announced by Masoud Pezeshkian. Therefore, it is expected that he will use his trip to Baghdad as an opportunity to develop relations with regional countries. Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, the Prime Minister of Iraq, had traveled to Tehran to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Masoud Pezeshkian as President of Iran. During this visit, Pezeshkian emphasized the necessity of 'deepening and expanding relations among neighbors and regional countries to counter foreign interference in regional issues.' Iraqi and Arab media have also speculated that Pezeshkian will raise the issue of 'Mohammad Reza Noori,' an Iranian citizen and member of the Iranian military imprisoned in Iraq, during his trip. Mohammad Reza Noori, whom Iranian media refer to as a 'cultural media activist,' was detained in Iraq for 16 months on terrorism charges related to the death of an American citizen in Baghdad and was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment last August. On Farvardin 3, 1402 (March 23, 2023), Mohammad Reza Noori, along with four Iranian-backed militia members in Iraq, was arrested on charges of killing an American teacher named Stephen Edward Troell. Mr. Troell, 45, was from Tennessee in the southern United States and lived in Iraq with his wife and children. The Iranian ambassador in Baghdad has stated that Mr. Pezeshkian is scheduled to meet with Faik Zidan, the head of the Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq, during his trip. Fada Hossein Maleki, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, stated that 'certainly one of the focal points of the President's discussions with the Iraqi side will be the release of this fighter of our country, who should return to his homeland as soon as possible.'