The Foreign Minister and Italian Defense Minister Discuss Strengthening Military and Security Cooperation

Baghdad / NINA/ -Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein held talks on Friday with Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto on strengthening military and security cooperation between the two countries, during a meeting at the headquarters of the Italian Ministry of Defense in Rome.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the meeting was part of a series of official engagements conducted by the Iraqi foreign minister during his visit to Italy. The talks underscored the depth of Iraqi–Italian relations, particularly in the fields of military and security cooperation and counterterrorism, reflecting the level of the strategic partnership between the two sides.

For his part, the Italian defense minister highlighted Iraq’s pivotal role in maintaining stability in the Middle East, stressing that supporting Iraq and its security forces remains a top priority for Italy.

The statement added that both sides discussed ways to further develop military and defense cooperation and agreed to work jointly to address obstacles hindering this cooperation, in a manner that strengthens bilateral partnership.

Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein also extended an official invitation to his Italian counterpart to visit Iraq, with the aim of continuing direct dialogue and exploring mechanisms to overcome existing challenges in line with the shared interests of both countries.

In the same context, the Italian defense minister expressed his country’s pride in having contributed to the training of approximately 60,000 Iraqi fighters from various formations through specialized training programs and courses. Hussein, in turn, expressed his appreciation and gratitude to Italy for its continued support of Iraq’s security capabilities.

According to the statement, the meeting also addressed recent regional developments, including the situation in Syria. Both sides emphasized the importance of supporting Syria’s stability and the need for it to play a positive role in enhancing regional security and stability, while underscoring the importance of cooperation and coordination among all parties and components of the Syrian people to achieve stability and combat terrorism.

Regarding Iran-related files, the two ministers stressed the importance of joint efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region, warning that any new escalation would have negative repercussions for all countries in the region without exception./ End