Foreign Minister Discusses Enhanced Security and Military Cooperation and Regional Developments with Italian Counterpart

His Excellency Mr Fuad Hussein, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq, met with H.E. Mr Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, on Thursday, 15 October 2026, at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome. The meeting focused on bilateral relations, ways to strengthen cooperation, and regional and international developments.

H.E. Mr Fuad Hussein expressed Iraq’s appreciation for the positions adopted by Italy, both at government and public levels, in support of Iraq over the past years in its fight against terrorism and the defeat of the terrorist organisation Daesh. H.E. Mr. Hussein commended Italy’s continued efforts to train the Federal Ministry of Interior’s police forces and the Peshmerga forces in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The two sides also discussed prospects for developing security and military cooperation in the coming period, particularly in light of developments related to the conclusion of the international coalition’s mission in Iraq. They also discussed a number of outstanding financial and military issues with the Italian Government and Italian companies dating back to the era of the former regime.

The meeting also addressed the implications of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war and its repercussions for European security, as well as developments in the regional conflict and their impact on Iraq and the Arab Gulf states.

H.E. Mr Fuad Hussein emphasised the need for the European Union and European countries, including Italy, to play an active role in supporting peaceful initiatives, helping bridge differences between the parties to the conflict, and encouraging them to return to the negotiating table. Such efforts, His Excellency stressed, would help contain the escalation and prevent the conflict from spreading further.

H.E. Mr Fuad Hussein noted that the ongoing US-Iranian conflict had caused significant economic losses, explaining that Iraq had incurred losses estimated at approximately USD 60 billion during the recent war between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran. His Excellency warned that the continuation of the conflict had exacerbated the global energy crisis and heightened concerns over rising inflation, adversely affecting the economies of many countries worldwide, including European countries.

For his part, H.E. Mr Antonio Tajani commended the strength of Iraqi-Italian relations and reaffirmed Italy’s support for Iraq across various fields.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the two sides agreed to maintain communication and coordination on issues of mutual interest. H.E. Mr Fuad Hussein also invited his Italian counterpart to visit Iraq, expressing his thanks and appreciation for the warm reception.