ERBIL () – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed bilateral relations, the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq, energy cooperation, and regional tensions during a joint press conference in Baghdad on Tuesday.
Merz said the Iraqi government had taken initial steps to combat corruption and assured Baghdad of Germany’s support in this area.
He also announced that Germany would sign a new agreement with Iraq on electricity generation.
Regarding the presence of international forces in Iraq, Merz said all foreign forces would leave the country on Sept. 30. However, he added that Germany could continue providing military assistance if Baghdad requested it.
The German chancellor said the two sides had held extensive discussions on regional tensions, particularly those involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.
“We stressed that Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz and stop supporting its proxy groups,” Merz said.
For his part, Al-Zaidi described Germany as a trusted partner and said Iraq was committed to strengthening economic relations and benefiting from German technological expertise.
The Iraqi prime minister also announced an understanding between Baghdad and Berlin on exporting Iraqi crude oil to Germany.
“Most of the countries currently buying Iraqi oil are in East Asia, but through the Turkey-Ceyhan pipeline, we export 1.25 million barrels of oil per day to European and global markets,” Al-Zaidi said.
He added that Iraq aims to increase its oil production capacity to 10 million barrels per day, with half of that output intended for European markets.
Addressing regional tensions and the conflict between the United States and Iran, Al-Zaidi said Iraq had suffered significantly from the war, particularly as the halt in oil-product imports had directly affected citizens and global markets.
He said Germany could play a role in addressing regional tensions, emphasizing Baghdad’s preference for diplomacy and mediation over confrontation.
“We are working to protect Iraq’s airspace sovereignty and will not allow any aircraft to cross the airspace of our country,” Al-Zaidi said.
Responding to a question about the Kurdistan Region, Al-Zaidi reiterated Baghdad’s position that the Region is an integral part of Iraq.
“The Kurdistan Region is an integral part of the body of Iraq and has all its rights and entitlements in accordance with the framework established for it by the Constitution and law,” he said.
