Middle East & North Africa
Italy and Iraq: Tajani meets Fuad Hussein in Rome, with Gulf de-escalation and the IMEC corridor on the agenda
Italy's foreign minister told his Iraqi counterpart on 14 October that Rome does not want the military crisis in the Persian Gulf to escalate, and the two discussed Daesh, trade and the IMEC corridor.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein discussed regional crises, counter-terrorism and trade at the Farnesina in Rome on 14 October, according to a press release from the Italian foreign ministry published the next day. Tajani said Italy does not want the military crisis in the Persian Gulf to escalate and destabilise countries in the region.
Security and the Gulf
The ministry says the meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both sides to political dialogue between Rome and Baghdad. Tajani described Iraq as a country of strategic importance for the balance of power across the region and repeated Italy’s full support for Iraqi institutions. He referred to their commitment, following the withdrawal of forces from Operation Inherent Resolve, to ensuring security in the country and the state’s monopoly on the use of force.
The two ministers went through the main regional crises and stressed the need for diplomatic solutions. The ministry says particular attention went to combating terrorism and preventing any resurgence of Daesh. Tajani recalled the recent meeting of the Global Coalition Against Daesh hosted at the Farnesina, attended by the Iraqi National Security Adviser.
“Iraq’s security is a strategic priority for Italy and for Europe,” Tajani said, according to the release, adding that the ongoing armed conflicts must be brought to an end and that diplomacy is the way to return to political dialogue.
Trade and connectivity
On the economy, the ministry says Tajani was satisfied with the trend in trade, which stood at EUR 2.3 billion in 2025, and pointed to room for growth in exports and investment. Beyond energy, he named infrastructure, water management, agribusiness, healthcare and industrial machinery as areas for cooperation. He also cited regional connectivity projects, starting with the Iraq Development Road and the IMEC Corridor.
Development cooperation and culture also featured. According to the release, Tajani confirmed that Iraq remains a priority partner for Italian development cooperation. He recalled Italy’s contribution to the reopening of the National Museum in Baghdad and the 18 archaeological missions co-funded by the ministry in 2026, which the ministry says make Iraq the country with the highest number of Italian archaeological missions abroad.
Context
Baghdad was also the venue of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation foreign ministers’ session on 17 and 18 October, as Geopolitiki reported in Fidan to hand over OIC foreign ministers’ chairmanship to Iraq at Baghdad session. The Italian release does not say whether any new agreements were signed in Rome.