Saudi Arabia, Iraq pledge to boost ties

Cairo: Saudi Arabia and Iraq have pledged to strengthen cooperation and operate a border crossing between the two neighbours. The step followed a meeting of a Saudi-Iraqi coordination council and online e talks between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi.

A joint statement said that the two Arab countries have agreed to open Jadeeda Arar border crossing in seven days and set up a Saudi commercial attache office in Baghdad.

They also pledged to continue joint cooperation against extremism and terrorism as well as securing their joint border.

“The two countries are neighbours,” Prince Mohammed said during the virtual talks. “We are Arabs, follow the same religion and share the same interests and challenges,” he added.

In recent years, ties have grown between Saudi Arabia and Iraq after years of strains resulting from Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait.