Iraq Officially Invites Syrian President to Attend Arab Summit

SANA

Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities & Syrian President.

Iraq’s Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities, Ahmed Fakak al-Badrani, formally delivered an invitation on Sunday, 28 April 2025, to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, inviting him to participate in the Arab Summit scheduled for 17 May in Baghdad.

Speaking to the Iraq's state media (INA), Minister Badrani stated: "Acting on behalf of President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid, we conveyed an official invitation to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to attend the Arab Summit in Baghdad on 17 May." He emphasised that the summit will address pressing challenges facing the Arab world."

Syria's state media (SANA) also confirmed the news. It reported that Sharaa received the invitation during his meeting with the Iraqi Prime Minister’s special envoy, Minister of Culture, Ahmed Fakak al-Badrani.

During his visit to Damascus, Minister Badrani also met with the Syrian Minister of Culture to discuss ways to strengthen cultural cooperation between Iraq and Syria.

Syrian Minister of Culture Mohammed Yassin highlighted the deep-rooted ties between the two nations, stating, “Iraq and Syria share a civilisation that spans thousands of years. We are bound by common heritage, and artificial borders cannot divide us. We are one people with many shared characteristics.” He added, “We are open to cooperation and partnership with Iraq across various fields and are committed to fostering a shared cultural life.”

This invitation follows a recent letter delivered to President Sharaa by a delegation led by Hamid al-Shatri, head of Iraq’s National Intelligence Service, on behalf of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani, reaffirming Iraq’s invitation to the Arab Summit.

Diplomatic engagement between Iraq and Syria has intensified in recent months. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Sheibani visited Baghdad in mid-March, and Prime Minister Sudani met with President al-Sharaa last week in Doha.

The 34th Arab League Summit, set for 17 May 2025 in Baghdad, is regarded as a significant diplomatic event for Iraq, with representatives from all 22 member states expected to attend. The summit’s agenda is expected to focus on regional challenges, including the situations in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Libya, as well as broader issues such as water security, energy cooperation, and post-conflict reconstruction in Gaza.



PUKMEDIA