Country
|
Formal Relations Began
|
Notes
|
Armenia
|
12 February 2000
|
See
Armenia?Iraq relations
- Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 February 2000
[164]
- Armenia has an embassy in Baghdad.
- Iraq has an embassy in
Yerevan
.
|
Azerbaijan
|
30 March 1992
|
- Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 March 1992.
[165]
- On January 2, 1992, Iraq recognized the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
[166]
- Azerbaijan has an embassy in Baghdad.
[166]
- Iraq has an embassy in
Baku
.
[166]
|
China
|
25 August 1958
|
See
China?Iraq relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 August 1958.
[167]
- China has an embassy in Baghdad.
- Iraq has an embassy in Beijing.
|
India
|
1947
|
See
India?Iraq relations
- Diplomatic relations started in 1947.
India and Iraq maintained strong relationships since Indian independence.
|
Indonesia
|
27 February 1950
|
See
Indonesia?Iraq relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 February 1950 when President Sukarno appointed Bagindo Dahlan Abdullah, a member of the Central Indonesia National Committee, to serve as the ambassador of the United States of Indonesia to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, with a permanent residence in Baghdad.
[24]
Indonesia and Iraq shared similarity as the Muslim majority countries. Both nations share their experiences in rebuilding and development. Indonesia has an embassy in Baghdad, while Iraq has an embassy in
Jakarta
. Both nations are partners in multilateral organizations, such as
World Trade Organization
(WTO), The
Non-Aligned Movement
and
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC).
After
World War II
, Iraq had been one of the first countries to recognize Indonesia's independence in 1945. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1950 and have signed around 15 agreements to boost bilateral ties. Indonesia has maintained its embassy in Baghdad during various crises, such as the Iran?Iraq war in the 1980s. However, at the height of the
Iraq War
, Indonesia was forced to temporarily closed its embassy in
Baghdad
in 2003, and reopen it in June 2011.
[168]
In 2003, Indonesian Government and people protested against a U.S.-led military campaign against Baghdad. Over 50,000 Indonesian people crowded the streets of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta on Sunday, 9 February 2003, to protest the United States' threat of military action against Iraq.
[169]
After the war ended and Indonesia reopen its embassy in 2011, relations between the two countries have developed at a fast pace. Iraq invited Indonesia's companies to participate in the reconstruction of Iraq.
[170]
Traditionally Indonesia sees Iraq as the source of energy, such as oil and gas. On the other hand, Iraqi people are familiar with Indonesian exported products such as tires, soaps, spices, furniture, coal, clothing, palm oil, shoes, paper, automobiles, rubber and electronic goods.
|
Iran
|
25 April 1929
|
See
Iran?Iraq relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 April 1929 when Iran formally recognized Iraq and appointed a diplomatic representative to Baghdad.
[171]
In 1988 Iraq's main foreign policy issue was the
war with Iran
. This war had begun in September 1980, when Saddam Hussein sent Iraqi forces across the
Shatt al Arab
into southwestern Iran. Although the reasons for Saddam Husayn's decision to invade Iran were complicated, the leaders of the Baath Party had long resented Iranian hegemony in the Persian Gulf region and had especially resented the perceived Iranian interference in Iraq's internal affairs both before and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Their objectives were to halt any potential foreign assistance to the Shias and to the Kurdish opponents of the regime and to end Iranian domination of the area. The Baathists believed a weakened Iran would be incapable of posing a security threat and could not undermine Iraq's efforts to exercise the regional influence that had been blocked by non-Arab Iran since the mid-1960s. By early 1982, the Iraqi occupation forces were on the defensive and were being forced to retreat from some of their forward lines. In June 1982, Saddam Hussein ordered most of the Iraqi units to withdraw from Iranian territory; after that time, the Ba'athist government tried to obtain a cease-fire based on a return of all armed personnel to the international borders that prevailed as of 21 September 1979.
Iran did not accept Iraq's offer to negotiate an end to the war. Similarly, it rejected a July 1982 United Nations (UN) Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire. Subsequently, Iranian forces invaded Iraq by crossing the Shatt al Arab in the south and by capturing some mountain passes in the north. To discourage Iran's offensive, the Iraqi air force initiated bombing raids over several Iranian cities and towns. The air raids brought Iranian retaliation, which included the aerial bombing of
Baghdad
. Although Iraq eventually pushed back and contained the Iranian advances, it was not able to force Iranian troops completely out of Iraqi territory. The perceived threat to Iraq in the summer of 1982 thus was serious enough to force Saddam Hussein to request the Nonaligned Movement to change the venue of its scheduled September meeting from Baghdad to India; nevertheless, since the fall of 1982, the ground conflict has generally been a stalemated war of attrition?although Iran made small but demoralizing territorial advances as a result of its massive offensives in the reed marshes north of Basra in 1984 and in 1985, in Al Faw Peninsula in early 1986, and in the outskirts of Basra during January and February 1987. In addition, as of early 1988 the government had lost control of several mountainous districts in Kurdistan where, since 1983, dissident Kurds have cooperated militarily with Iran.
Saddam Hussein's government has maintained consistently since the summer of 1982 that Iraq wants a negotiated end to the war based upon the status quo ante. Iran's stated conditions for ceasing hostilities, namely the removal of Saddam Hussein and the Baath from power, however, have been unacceptable. The main objective of the regime became the extrication of the country from the war with as little additional damage as possible. To further this goal, Iraq has used various diplomatic, economic, and military strategies; none of these had been successful in bringing about a cease-fire as of early 1988.
Although the war was a heavy burden on Iran and Iraq politically, economically, and socially, the most profound consequence of the war's prolongation on Iraq, was its impact on the patterns of Iraq's foreign relations. Whereas trends toward a moderation of the Baath Party's ideological approach to foreign affairs were evident before 1980, the war helped to accelerate these trends. Two of the most dramatic changes were in Iraq's relationships with the Soviet Union and with the United States. During the course of the war Iraq moved away from the close friendship with the Soviet Union that had persisted throughout the 1970s, and it initiated a rapprochement with the United States. Iraq also sought to ally itself with Kuwait and with Saudi Arabia, two neighboring countries with which there had been considerable friction during much of the 1970s. The alignment with these countries was accompanied by a more moderate Iraqi approach to other Arab countries, such as Egypt and Jordan, which previously Iraq had perceived as hostile.
Iraqi?Iranian relations have remained cool since the end of the Iran?Iraq War in 1988. Outstanding issues from that war, including prisoner of war exchanges and support of armed opposition parties operating in each other's territory, remain to be solved.
Relations appear to have improved since March 2008, when Iranian president
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
made a two-day visit to Iraq.
|
Israel
|
|
See
Iraq?Israel relations
Iraq participated in the Arab?Israeli wars of 1948, 1967 and 1973, and traditionally has opposed all attempts to reach a peaceful settlement between Israel and the Arab States. Israel attacked Iraq's nuclear research reactor under construction near Baghdad in July 1981. During the Iran?Iraq war, Iraq moderated its anti-Israel stance considerably. In August 1982 President Hussein stated to a visiting U.S. Congressman that "a secure state is necessary for both Israel and the Palestinians." Iraq did not oppose then President Reagan's 1 September 1982 Arab-Israeli peace initiative, and it supported the moderate Arab position at the Fez summit that same month. Iraq repeatedly stated that it would support whatever settlement is found acceptable by the Palestinians.
|
Jordan
|
24 May 1947
|
See
Iraq?Jordan relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 May 1947 when Jamil Pasha el Rawi, the first Iraqi Minister to Transjordan, presented his credentials.
[172]
Iraq's relations with Jordan have improved significantly since 1980, when Jordan declared its support for Iraq at the outset of the Iran?Iraq War. Jordan's support for Iraq during the
Persian Gulf War
resulted in a further improvement of ties. Relations have cooled since the current King of Jordan took office in 2000, but remain good.
King Abdullah of Jordan
has become the first Arab leader to visit Iraq since the fall of
Saddam Hussein
in 2003, a landmark step towards reducing Baghdad's isolation among its Arab neighbours. Jordan is one of a small number of Arab countries to have named ambassadors to Iraq.
[173]
|
Kuwait
|
10 January 1964
|
See
Iraq?Kuwait relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 January 1964.
[174]
After the Iran?Iraq War ended, Kuwait declined an Iraqi request to forgive its US$65 billion debt. An economic rivalry between the two countries ensued after Kuwait increased its oil production by 40 percent. Iraq interpreted Kuwait's decision to increase its oil production as an act of aggression. The tense relations between Iraq and Kuwait were further aggravated months later when Iraq accused Kuwait for
slant-drilling
across the
border
into Iraq's
Rumaila field
[175]
In August 1990, Iraq invades Kuwait and was shortly annexed as a
province
.
The invasion of Kuwait in 1990 resulted in its government-in-exile, the US, Saudi Arabia, and most
Persian Gulf states
to sever relations with Baghdad and joining the United Nations coalition that drove Iraqi forces out of Kuwait during the
Persian Gulf War
.
In August 2019, Iraq sent a protest letter to the
United Nations
regarding the geographical changes that the Government of Kuwait has made in the maritime area that lies beyond marker 162 in Khor Abdullah by upraising a shoal, which is designated as Fisht al-Aych.
[176]
[177]
In March 2021, Iraq announced that it has so far paid $50 billion in war reparations to Kuwait while Iraq's dues now amount to only $2.5 billion.
[178]
|
Lebanon
|
24 February 1944
|
See
Iraq?Lebanon relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 February 1944.
[179]
Both countries have refused to recognize
Israel
and have supported the
Palestinians
.
Throughout history, Iraq's relations with
Lebanon
have been relatively close, both politically and culturally. During the regime of
Saddam Hussein
, the leader of the
Ba'ath Party
had strong relations with
Bachir
, and
Amine Gemayel
; relations grew even stronger when Iraqi officials verbally lashed out against Israel's actions in the
2006 War
.
|
North Korea
|
9 July 1968
|
See
Iraq?North Korea relations
Diplomatic relations started on 9 July 1968, but were cut on 10 October 1980 after
Iran?Iraq War
. DPRK and Iraq re-established relations on 29 September 2008.
Iraq had an embassy in Pyongyang and DPRK had an embassy in Baghdad between 1970 and 1980.
[180]
|
Oman
|
1976
|
Iraq and Oman relations date back to the
Sumerians
, who used to call the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula region as
Magan
.
[181]
Oman closed its embassy in Iraq after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. On May 12, 2019, Oman announced to reopen its embassy in Baghdad.
[182]
|
Pakistan
|
1947
|
See
Iraq?Pakistan relations
Diplomatic relations started in 1947. Iraq and
Pakistan
have had close, friendly, and cooperative relations since the latter's independence in 1947. Issues such as Iraqi support for Pakistan in its 1971 war with India (Indo-Iraqi relations), and Pakistani support for Iraq against Iran in the Iran-Iraq War have forged relations between the two. Relations soured during the
Gulf War
when Pakistan contributed troops for the UN Coalition, seeing it as a betrayal due to Iraq's constant support for Pakistan in their previous wars with India. In 2002, Saddam Hussein visited India and said he gave his unwavering support to India over the Kashmir dispute. In 2003, Pakistan rejected US's request to send troops for the invasion which have helped soothed relations between the two.
|
Philippines
|
12 January 1975
|
See
Iraq?Philippines relations
The Philippines and Iraq formally established diplomatic relations on January 12, 1975, with the opening of the Iraqi Embassy in Manila.
[183]
This was followed by the opening of the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad on September 9, 1980. Due to security concerns, the Philippines moved its embassy to Amman in Jordan in 2004 while Iraq closed its embassy in Manila in September 2003. The Philippine Embassy returned to its chancery in Baghdad in November 2011.
|
Saudi Arabia
|
7 April 1931
|
See
Iraq?Saudi Arabia relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 April 1931 when Iraq and Saudi Arabia signed Treaty of Friendship.
[184]
Saudi leaders were relieved when Iraq was defeated, but they recognized that relations with Baghdad had been damaged. Consequently, postwar Saudi policy focused on ways to contain potential Iraqi threats to the kingdom and the region. One element of Riyadh's containment policy included support for Iraqi opposition forces that advocated the overthrow of
Saddam Hussein
's government. In the past, backing for such groups had been discreet, but in early 1992 the Saudis invited several Iraqi opposition leaders to Riyadh to attend a well-publicised conference. To further demonstrate Saudi dissatisfaction with the regime in Baghdad, Crown
Prince Abdallah
permitted the media to videotape his meeting with some of the opponents of Saddam Hussein.
|
South Korea
|
9 July 1989
|
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 July 1989.
[185]
- Iraq has an embassy in
Seoul
.
- South Korea has an embassy in Baghdad.
|
Sri Lanka
|
22 February 1961
|
See
Sri Lanka?Iraq relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 February 1961 when the first Ceylonese Ambassador to Iraq presented his credentials.
[186]
Iraq was the largest buyer of Sri Lankan tea during the reign of
Saddam Hussein
. Ties between Sri Lanka and Iraq were disrupted during the
Iraq War
. However, in 2018 Iraq re-emerged as the largest buyer of Sri Lankan Tea.
[189]
|
Syria
|
11 February 1945
|
See
Iraq?Syria relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 February 1945 when the first time establishment of a Syrian Legation at Baghdad and appointment of Baha ud Din al Bakri as Charge d'Affaires ad interim to Iraq.
[190]
The political states of Iraq and Syria were formed by the United Kingdom and France following the defeat of the
Ottoman Empire
in World War I. Iraq and Syria are united by historical, social, political, cultural and economic relations, but share a long
foreign drawn
border. The land known as
Mesopotamia
is Iraq and eastern Syria and is called such by its inhabitants. Political relations between Iraq and Syria have in the past seen difficulties, however, new diplomatic relations described by both sides as "Historic" were established in November 2006, beginning an era of close cooperation and political friendship between Iraq and Syria.
[191]
|
Turkey
|
16 January 1928
|
See
Iraq?Turkey relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 January 1928 when has been accredited the first Iraqi ambassador to Turkey Salih Nishat. The first Turkish ambassador, Lutfi Tokay, also presented his letters of credence in Baghdad on 21 December 1929.
[192]
In 1988 Iraq maintained cordial relations with
Turkey
, its non-Arab neighbor to the north. Turkey served as an important transshipment point for both Iraqi oil exports and its commodity imports. A pipeline transported oil from the northern oil fields of Iraq through Turkey to the Mediterranean Sea. Trucks carrying a variety of European manufactured goods used Turkish highways to bring imports into Iraq. There was also trade between Turkey and Iraq, the former selling Iraq small arms, produce, and textiles. In addition, Iraq and Turkey have cooperated in suppressing
Kurdish
guerrilla
activities in their common border area.
[193]
|
Yemen
|
7 March 1961
|
See
Iraq?Yemen relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 March 1961
[194]
Relations between Yemen's former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, and Iraq's former president, Saddam Hussein, were very close, as Saleh supported Iraq in the Gulf War.
[195]
- Iraq has an embassy in Sana'a.
- Yemen has an embassy in Baghdad.
|