Saudi Arabia, Iraq to cooperate on security, intelligence

In an interview with Al Arabiya, Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali al-Hakim said that Iraq and Saudi Arabia have agreed to cooperate in security and intelligence matters.

The announcement came during a state visit by an Iraqi delegation to Saudi Arabia led by Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.

Al-Hakim stressed that memorandums of understanding between the two countries will be worked quickly, adding that these MoUs are now commitments between Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.

The Iraqi Foreign Minister also revealed that during the high-level Iraqi delegation’s visit to Riyadh, both countries discussed the issue of entry visas.

For his part, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil Thamer Ghadhban said in an interview with Al Arabiya that the signing of the agreement to protect investment and prevent double taxation between Saudi Arabia and Iraq would guarantee the investor the ease of procedures, protecting and exempting the investor from the tax.

Abdul Mahdi met Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his office said on Thursday, a day after his first official visit to the kingdom.

The meeting with the crown prince came after Abdul Mahdi met King Salman on Wednesday. His office said the leaders signed 13 agreements in areas such as trade, energy and political cooperation.