Overview
- Iraqi prime minister Ali Al Zaidi met French president Emmanuel Macron on Monday and the two issued a joint call to diversify oil and gas export routes to lessen dependence on the Strait of Hormuz.
- TotalEnergies signed a memorandum of understanding on liquefied natural gas with Iraq and said it would raise planned investments in the country from $12 billion to $16 billion.
- Paris and Baghdad agreed a strategic roadmap for the acquisition of French military equipment to accelerate the modernisation of Iraq’s armed forces.
- French drone company Harmattan AI signed a letter of intent with Iraq’s defence ministry to explore autonomous air-defence systems for protecting critical infrastructure and shipping links.
- Zaidi is continuing to Germany to seek further European backing as Iraq pursues route diversification in response to Houthi control of Bab al‑Mandab and Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, steps that could speed exports and attract new finance.