In an interview with the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations website, Rahman Qahramanpour, referring to the recent visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Shia Sudani to England and the signing of unprecedented trade and economic agreements with London in the past 20 years, stated:

In this regard, the new British government led by Starmer is trying to show public opinion that it is seeking to improve its economic situation, which led to the Conservative government’s fall, which is very important for the Labor Party in the domestic arena.

Some observers believe that the Labour Party won the elections because of the weakness of the Conservative Party, and the people’s vote for them was a kind of protest vote against the Conservative Party. In this situation, the Labor Party needs to move towards attracting more capital, especially in foreign policy, to improve the UK’s economic situation.

He continued: On the other hand, after leaving the European Union, the UK has sought to adopt an independent global foreign policy and increase its influence in various regions, especially in West Asia. Previously, when the UK was a member of the European Union, it had to coordinate its policy with the European Union. Still, today, it no longer has such an obligation, and based on the “Global British Strategy” published a few years ago, it seeks to become a global player. Therefore, expanding military, political, and security cooperation with Indo-Pacific countries and expanding relations with Iraq is also in line with the implementation of this strategy.

This international affairs expert continued to note: From Iraq’s perspective, expanding relations with the UK is due to several issues: first, creating stability and sending the message to the interior, the region, and the international community that Iraq now has the stability and security necessary to enter into long-term and large-scale agreements. Second, announce to the world that Iraq is progressing towards economic development. Iraq’s economic development is an important issue for the Iraqi government and the Shiite governments because the main problem in Iraq today is the lack of development infrastructure, including electricity, water, and energy. As we look at the financial and economic agreement between Iraq and Britain, a significant part of it is related to creating infrastructure, providing drinking water, building and repairing airports, and renovating refineries.

He continued: Iraq’s infrastructure has been destroyed due to the sanctions during Saddam’s time, the civil war, US attacks, and conflicts caused by ISIS attacks, so Iraq’s most urgent need today is to restore this infrastructure. The 2019 protests in Tishreen were also due to the lack of infrastructure, water, and electricity, so the Iraqi government is trying to solve its infrastructure problems by cooperating with foreign governments, including Britain.

Qahramanpour said that Iraq is on the path of moving from a “disorganized” state in terms of politics, economy, and security to a stable state in terms of economy, politics, and security. After the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the country was caught in a civil war and, could not exercise sovereignty, and even had problems with the Kurdistan Region. Still, the recent visit of the Sudani government could mean that Iraq is trying to prevent it from becoming a bankrupt state with oil revenues and strengthening the country’s infrastructure and economic development.

He added: Even regarding the issue of integrating the Popular Mobilization Forces into the Iraqi army, which has become extremely serious after the developments in Syria, it is said that Iraq is seeking to have a security system in the country so that it can make its sovereignty indivisible and become a capable state.

Considering that the Sudani government will be in office until next year and there is no news of early elections in Iraq, this process is in the interest of the Sudani government.

Qahramanpour stated: “Sudani has been able to create a stable situation in Iraq in the last two years, and his trip to England and the agreements reached show that he is trying to increase Iraq’s independence in the region and show that it can exercise sovereignty. At the same time, it is natural that this issue has consequences at the regional level and its relations with Iran because Iraq is transforming from a disorganized and weak state in the sensitive region of West Asia and the Levant into a state that exercises sovereignty in its own territory; this will increase the popularity of the Sudani government inside Iraq and the country’s independence in the region.”