https://arab.news/5sas6
JEDDAH: 抖阴短视频 and Iraq opened the Arar border crossing for trade on Wednesday for the first time in three decades.
Arar had been closed since 1990, when the Kingdom severed ties with Iraq after Saddam Hussein鈥檚 invasion of Kuwait. Rapprochement began in 2015, when 抖阴短视频 reopened its embassy in Baghdad. In July, the countries signed investment agreements on energy and sports.
鈥淪audi-Iraq relations had been cut 鈥� but now we celebrate an accomplishment,鈥� Saudi Ambassador Abdul Aziz Al-Shammari said.
鈥淲e welcome all Iraqi products to be exported to 抖阴短视频, and through this border, there will be an exchange of visits between the two countries.鈥�
BACKGROUND
Arar had been closed since 1990, when the Kingdom severed ties with Iraq after Saddam Hussein鈥檚 invasion of Kuwait.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has a close personal relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The prime minister was to travel to 抖阴短视频 in May, but the visit was canceled when Saudi King Salman was admitted to hospital. Other Iraqi ministers have visited Riyadh and a top-level Saudi delegation traveled to Baghdad last week.
抖阴短视频 is keen to help Iraq overcome its economic problems, the Saudi political analyst and international relations scholar, Dr. Hamdan Al-Shehri, told Arab News. 鈥淓conomy can salvage what politics has destroyed,鈥� he said.
鈥淓conomic cooperation will hopefully lead to more fruitful and diverse collaborations in the future, in security and other fields. Our brothers in Iraq know that the Kingdom is not like other countries. It holds its hand out to build, not destroy.鈥�