The official spokesman for the government, Haidar Al-Abbadi, confirmed today, Thursday, that Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaydi's management of the National Intelligence Service at this stage comes as part of the government's support for strategic security components and enhancing their capabilities and performance. He revealed that Kuwait and Bahrain are included in the upcoming foreign visits schedule of the Prime Minister.
Al-Abbadi stated, in a press interview seen by the "News Video Agency," that "the Prime Minister, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, visiting the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service confirms the importance of this institution and its direct role in reinforcing the security operations environment, protecting citizens and state institutions, and enhancing Iraqi national security through information gathering and analysis at both the internal and external levels."
He added that "the Prime Minister has confirmed his support for the National Intelligence Service and providing all the requirements for its development, especially in light of the modern technological and technical transformations witnessed by intelligence agencies globally," pointing out that "the Prime Minister's management of the service at this stage, following the changes it has undergone, reflects the government's interest in supporting strategic security components and enhancing their role in security decision-making."
Regarding the Prime Minister's external movements, Al-Abbadi clarified that "the visits he made to several countries, including the United States, Turkey, Iran, Qatar, France, Germany, and Jordan, culminating in his recent visit to Syria, are part of the government’s vision to open up to neighboring countries and economically and politically influential nations, in a way that serves the highest interests of Iraq."
He noted that "the diplomatic movements mainly focus on economic interests, especially after the repercussions caused by the Strait of Hormuz crisis, and the necessity for Iraq not to rely on a single strategic corridor for oil exports," indicating that "the government has worked to reorganize its relations with neighboring countries and the world to find alternative strategic corridors that ensure the sustainability of the Iraqi economy and the stability of its oil revenues."
He continued that "the Prime Minister's visit to Damascus represents an important economic and strategic milestone in Iraqi-Syrian relations and has contributed to overcoming the fears that surrounded bilateral relations since December 2024," noting that "the volume of trade exchange between the two countries exceeds $250 million."
He pointed out that "Iraq is moving towards reaching an agreement with a coalition of global companies led by Chevron regarding the establishment of a pipeline to export Iraqi oil towards the Syrian port of Banias, allowing the utilization of Syrian territory as an additional strategic corridor for Iraqi oil to reach global markets."
Al-Abbadi confirmed that "the government has succeeded in enhancing international trust in Iraq through a balanced foreign policy based on dialogue, mutual respect, and common interests, and avoiding involvement in conflict axes," explaining that "Iraq has become an important strategic partner seeking to build impactful economic partnerships that strengthen its economy's stability and sustain its interests."
He revealed that "the upcoming foreign visits schedule of the Prime Minister includes Kuwait and Bahrain, alongside several countries with which Iraq shares strategic partnerships and interests," assuring that "these visits come within the framework of expanding bilateral cooperation and enhancing common interests that serve Iraq and the region."