Relationship dossier
Iran
Iraq
Relationship assessment
Extensive cooperation and close ties coexist with sovereignty concerns and the legacy of war
Iran toward Iraq
-10Iran has developed close political and security ties with Iraqi governments, supported armed groups operating in Iraq, and supplied energy to the country. Iran's influence through those groups and actions affecting Iraqi territory have also raised concerns about Iraqi sovereignty.
Iraq toward Iran
+15Iraqi governments have maintained political and security cooperation with Iran and substantial energy and trade ties. Iraq has also sought to balance its relationship with Iran against other foreign partnerships and to defend its sovereignty when Iranian actions have affected Iraqi territory.
Overall relationship
+5The relationship is structurally close because of sustained political, security, energy and trade connections, particularly since the fall of Saddam Hussein's government. It remains constrained by the memory of the Iran–Iraq War, Iranian influence within Iraq, and recurring Iraqi sovereignty concerns. Neither cooperation nor confrontation alone defines the enduring bilateral relationship.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Iran and Iraq have extensive government, security, energy and trade ties, alongside the legacy of the 1980–1988 war and continuing disputes over sovereignty and Iranian influence. Iran has cultivated close relations with Iraqi governments and supported armed groups in Iraq, while Iraq has cooperated with Iran on security and maintained substantial energy and trade links. The relationship combines practical cooperation with persistent strategic friction.
Areas of tension
- The legacy of the 1980–1988 Iran–Iraq War
- Iranian influence and support for armed groups operating in Iraq
- Iraqi sovereignty concerns following Iranian strikes on Iraqi territory
Key developments
The Iran–Iraq War ended with a ceasefire after years of sustained conflict.
After the fall of Saddam Hussein's government, Iraqi governments developed close political and security ties with Iran.
Iran launched missiles at the Ayn al-Asad airbase in Iraq following the killing of Qasem Soleimani, prompting Iraqi objections over sovereignty.
Iran and Iraq agreed on security cooperation concerning armed groups near their shared border.
Major uncertainties
- The present scope and implementation of bilateral security arrangements are unclear.
- The extent of Iraqi government control over armed groups with close ties to Iran varies.