Iraqi PM visits Sayyida Zaynab shrine in Syria

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi accompanied by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and other officials during his visit to Sayyida Zaynab shrine in the Syrian capital, Damascus. Photo: PMO Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi visited on Wednesday the holy Sayyida Zaynab shrine in the Syrian capital, Damascus, as part of his first official visit to the neighboring country. Al-Zaidi’s trip to Syria is significant, as it marks the first visit by an Iraqi prime minister since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. Al-Zaidi was accompanied by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and visited Islamic sites in Damascus, where he also engaged in religious and financial diplomacy. The prime minister offered prayers at the prominent Shia pilgrimage site, which is widely believed to house the tomb of Zainab bint Ali, the granddaughter of Prophet Muhammad. Al-Zaidi also toured the historic Umayyad Mosque located in the heart of the Syrian capital. The prime minister contributed $10 million from his personal finances, allocating $5 million to the Umayyad Mosque and $5 million to the Sayyida Zaynab shrine. Beyond his religious visits, al-Zaidi held high-level discussions with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. The two leaders discussed building a mutually beneficial partnership that goes beyond religious differences. The two sides discussed the possible revival of the Kirkuk-Baniyas pipeline to export Iraqi oil via Syrian Mediterranean ports, offering Iraq a strategic alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. The two leaders also discussed approaches to enhance intelligence sharing, border controls, and counter-terrorism coordination, as well as protocols to safely receive Iraqi pilgrims heading to sacred sites in Syria.