Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani received a phone call on Wednesday from Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, where they discussed strengthening bilateral ties between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

According to a statement from Sudani’s office, the conversation focused on ways to develop and enhance relations in various fields, as well as the latest developments in the region. The leaders discussed boosting political, economic, and developmental ties between the two countries.

The two had previously met in Riyadh in April during the World Economic Forum’s special meeting on global collaboration, growth, and energy for development. During this meeting, they highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and increasing cooperation in various fields. Iraq expressed a strong desire to expand its economic ties with Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council, established in 2017, aims to strengthen strategic, economic, investment, security, and cultural relations between Riyadh and Baghdad. The council held its fifth meeting in Jeddah in May 2023, with plans to convene the sixth edition in Baghdad later this year.

In May of last year, the Iraqi oil ministry announced an agreement with Aramco, the Saudi petroleum giant, to invest in and develop the Akkas gas field in Anbar. Iraqi Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani stated that Iraq aims to reach a production capacity of 400 million cubic meters of gas per day through the development of this field.

The phone call also emphasized the need for continued security cooperation and the strengthening of border security between the two nations.

Iraq has played a significant role in the recent restoration of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, having hosted several rounds of reconciliation talks between Riyadh and Tehran since April 2021.