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Iraq and Syria Sign Memorandum for Security Cooperation

Iraq’s Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari welcomes his Syrian counterpart, Muhammad Khaled Al-Rahmoun in Baghdad (Iraqi Interior Ministry)
Iraq’s Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari welcomes his Syrian counterpart, Muhammad Khaled Al-Rahmoun in Baghdad (Iraqi Interior Ministry)
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Iraq and Syria Sign Memorandum for Security Cooperation

Iraq’s Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari welcomes his Syrian counterpart, Muhammad Khaled Al-Rahmoun in Baghdad (Iraqi Interior Ministry)
Iraq’s Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari welcomes his Syrian counterpart, Muhammad Khaled Al-Rahmoun in Baghdad (Iraqi Interior Ministry)

Iraq and Syria inked on Sunday a memorandum of understanding for security cooperation in various areas, including combating terrorism.
“The agreement included a number of articles related to cooperation in combating drug trafficking, border control, extradition of wanted persons, combating organized crime, and money laundering,” said Iraq’s Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari.
His remarks came in a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Muhammad Khaled Al-Rahmoun.
In January, Iraq built a concrete wall of 160-km -- 3 meters deep and 3 meters across -- along part of its border with Syria to stop people and vehicles crossing the vast, sparsely populated desert that joins western Anbar province to Syria.
On Sunday, Al-Shammari spoke of a “good” intelligence cooperation between Baghdad and Damascus, saying the two countries “have joint work in exchanging information.”
For his part, the Syrian Minister said: “Cooperation in all fields, especially security, was discussed, as we suffered from terrorism in our countries. There is a criminal phenomenon managed by drug trafficking and human trafficking gangs, so we signed a memorandum of joint security cooperation.”
In a related security development, the Security Media Cell, an affiliate of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, announced in a statement that Iraqi security forces have successfully dismantled two international networks engaged in human and drug trafficking and arrested 40 foreigners across the country.
Security forces arrested the suspects in Baghdad and several other Iraqi provinces based on intelligence reports, the statement read.
“The Iraqi National Intelligence Service, in collaboration with the Interior Ministry, arrested 40 foreigners suspected of being involved in crimes of kidnapping, extortion, forgery, as well as human and drug trafficking,” it added.
The statement said the majority of the victims targeted by these two rings were foreigners residing in Iraq.

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Arab World

Egypt Says Partnership with Spain is Crucial

Traditional 'Fanous' lanterns are displayed at a local market in Al Sayeda Zeinab, Cairo, Egypt, 26 February 2025. EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM
Traditional 'Fanous' lanterns are displayed at a local market in Al Sayeda Zeinab, Cairo, Egypt, 26 February 2025. EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM
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Egypt Says Partnership with Spain is Crucial

Traditional 'Fanous' lanterns are displayed at a local market in Al Sayeda Zeinab, Cairo, Egypt, 26 February 2025. EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM
Traditional 'Fanous' lanterns are displayed at a local market in Al Sayeda Zeinab, Cairo, Egypt, 26 February 2025. EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM

The Egyptian government has said that the Arab summit which was held in Cairo was a confirmation to consensus among Arab and African countries, as well as the European Union and the UN, on the importance of accelerating the reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip and rejecting the displacement of Palestinians from their homeland.

It stressed that such displacement contradicts all principles of democracy and human rights that are fundamental to the developed world.

“The Arab summit reaffirmed that there is no solution to the crisis in the Gaza Strip except through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” said Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Wednesday.

The Egyptian position came during talks held between Madbouly and the President of the Spanish Senate, Pedro Rollan, at the government headquarters in the New Administrative Capital.

The Egyptian PM said relations between Cairo and Madrid were further strengthened following the historic visit of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Spain last February, during which an agreement was signed to elevate the relations between the two countries to the level of strategic partnership.

“This reflects both countries' desire to intensify cooperation across various fields through practical and effective frameworks that provide platforms for continuous dialogue and consultation on regional and international issues of common interest,” the PM said.

Madbouly affirmed that Spain is an important partner for Egypt, both as a member of the European Union, with which Egypt has strategic relations, and in terms of shared Mediterranean relations.

He also expressed Egypt’s desire to enhance relations with Madrid across all levels, including political, economic, and parliamentary, commending the trade exchange rates between the two countries, which reached approximately 4 billion euros in 2024.

Madbouly affirmed that these numbers could be doubled, taking into account the nature of the needs, exports, and imports of the two countries, as well as their relative geographical proximity and direct shipping lines.

Relations between Egypt and Spain lately developed after Cairo and the European Union signed in March 2024 a Joint Declaration, in which the two sides agreed to elevate their relationship to the level of a strategic and comprehensive partnership.

Rollan indicated that his visit to Egypt aims to explore ways to enhance cooperation with the Egyptian side in various fields, especially parliamentary affairs.
“We are taking serious steps to deepen our existing relations with Egypt and to broaden their horizons, as partnership with Egypt is a priority for Spain,” he said.