PM Nawaf Salam (left), Iraqi Fm Saleh Al-Sari (center) and his Lebanese counterpart Yassine Jaber (right), at Baghdad airport, July 26, 2026. (Credit: X account of the Grand Serail)
BEIRUT — Lebanon is "moving forward with determination toward connectivity and strategic integration with the countries of the region," Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said, according to the Grand Serail, which reported on the prime minister's visit to Iraq on Sunday.
Leading a ministerial delegation that included Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi and Telecommunications Minister Charles Hage, Salam arrived in Baghdad on Sunday and first held a bilateral meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. He also met with Iraqi President Nizar Amedi. The talks focused on "ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries" and "the development of joint cooperation in various fields," according to the Grand Serail.
The Kirkuk-Tripoli pipeline
During his discussions with Iraqi officials, the prime minister said Lebanon is "moving forward with determination in strengthening connectivity and strategic integration projects with countries in the region across various sectors, including energy, telecommunications and transportation. This will allow Lebanon to capitalize on the opportunities presented by current transformations and strengthen its position and role in its regional environment."
According to the press, several economic issues were expected to be addressed during these meetings, including the "Iraqi-Syrian-Lebanese" oil pipeline project, which includes reviving the Kirkuk-Tripoli pipeline. The visit echoes the July 19 announcement by the official Syrian news agency SANA that Damascus and Baghdad had "taken a major step toward reactivating the historic Kirkuk-Banias oil corridor," which was part of a network of Iraqi oil pipelines linking the country to Haifa in Palestine and the Lebanese port of Tripoli since the 1930s.
This visit echoes the announcement on July 19 by Syria’s official SANA news agency, reporting that Damascus and Baghdad had “taken a major step toward reactivating the historic oil corridor” Kirkuk-Banias — which was part of a network of Iraqi pipelines that, beginning in the 1930s, connected the country to Haifa in Palestine as well as to the Lebanese port of Tripoli.
Salam emphasized that "Lebanon aspires to be an active partner with Iraq in developing these regional projects, thereby opening new avenues for investment and supporting development and sustainable growth trajectories in both our countries." The Grand Serail statement did not specify whether a new fuel supply agreement for Électricité du Liban (EDL) was also on the agenda.
Bilateral meetings also took place between the Lebanese ministers and their Iraqi counterparts, the Grand Serail said, followed by an expanded meeting involving the ministers and the two prime ministers. The meeting between Hage and Iraqi Minister of Telecommunications Mustafa Jaber Sanad was expected to focus on the possibility of connecting Lebanon to Iraq via internet data transmission cables, according to the media outlet al-Modon shortly before the visit.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who came to power with Washington's support, is, like the Lebanese authorities, under pressure to disarm pro-Iranian armed groups accused of carrying out hundreds of attacks against American infrastructure in Iraq. Maintaining a monopoly on arms is also a priority for the Lebanese government.
