:NOW Last updated 2026-10-28 14:00 UTC. Built from Al Jazeera (13:47 UTC), Arab News/Reuters, Asharq Al-Awsat, TRT World, Iraqi News Agency (INA). :INFO What we know Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi arrived in Damascus on 28 October 2026 and met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at Damascus International Airport. This is the first visit by an Iraqi premier to Syria since al-Sharaa took power after Assad's fall in December 2024. Talks covered energy, trade, agriculture, security, and refugee returns. Iraq and Syria share a 600-kilometre border. In July 2026 both countries signed a memorandum of understanding to revive an oil pipeline to Syria's Baniyas port on the Mediterranean; Iraq has begun limited oil exports through Syria since Strait of Hormuz disruptions. Al-Sharaa cited over 100,000 transit trucks and 40,000 import/export trucks crossing in six to seven months. Leaders also discussed linking Iraq's Grand Faw Port to Syria's Tartus Port via an overland corridor. :INFO What is not known yet No signed agreements have been publicly released from this visit. The timeline and capacity of the Baniyas oil pipeline revival are not confirmed. Exact trade volume targets and any investment commitments have not been disclosed. The status of approximately 3,000 Syrian nationals held in Iraq who were transferred by coalition forces has not been formally resolved. The agenda for follow-up talks or a return visit by al-Sharaa to Baghdad has not been announced. :COUNTER 600 kilometres of shared Iraq-Syria border :STATS [icon:CLOCK] Al-Zaidi arrives Damascus | 28 October 2026 [icon:CLOCK] Iraq-Syria oil pipeline MOU signed | July 2026 [icon:CLOCK] Assad government fell | 8 December 2024 [icon:USERS] Transit trucks crossing in ~7 months | 100,000+ [icon:USERS] Import/export trucks crossing in ~7 months | 40,000+ [icon:CHART] Iraq-Syria border length | 600 km (370 miles) :QUOTE [links:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/28/iraqi-pm-ali-al-zaidi-meets-ahmed-al-sharaa-in-historic-syria-visit, quotetype:plain, subtitle:Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi] The Iraqi and Syrian people are one people in two countries. :QUOTE [links:https://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/iraqi-pm-visits-syria-as-al-sharaa-calls-for-closer-economic-security-ties-3008663, quotetype:plain, subtitle:Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa] Syria is keen to achieve the highest levels of cooperation between the two countries. :MAP 33.5138,36.2765,Damascus, Syria. Al-Zaidi met al-Sharaa here 28 October 2026 33.1118,44.3614,Baghdad, Iraq. Capital; al-Zaidi's government 35.545,43.974,Mosul, Iraq. Near Syrian border, key regional hub 35.5266,35.7937,Baniyas, Syria. Mediterranean port; proposed Iraqi oil export terminal 30.0118,47.8744,Grand Faw Port, Iraq. Southern port; planned link to Tartus 34.8956,35.8858,Tartus, Syria. Mediterranean port; planned link to Grand Faw :TIMELINE Iraq-Syria relations since Assad's fall 2024-12-08 | Assad government collapses; Ahmed al-Sharaa's forces take Damascus. 2025-01-01 | Al-Sharaa's administration formally in control; Iraq initially cautious in engagement. 2025-02-01 | Approximately 3,000 Syrian detainees transferred to Iraq by coalition forces. Senior Iraqi political, intelligence and judicial officials begin visiting Damascus; diplomatic contacts expand. 2026-07-01 | Iraq and Syria sign memorandum of understanding to revive the Iraq-to-Baniyas oil pipeline, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. 2026-09-01 | Al-Zaidi and al-Sharaa meet on sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. 2026-10-28 | Al-Zaidi arrives Damascus; first visit by an Iraqi PM to Syria since Assad's fall. :CHECKLIST What to watch next [ ] - Release of any signed agreements or joint communique from the 28 October visit. [ ] - Progress on Baniyas oil pipeline rehabilitation: construction timeline and first commercial shipment date. [ ] - Grand Faw Port to Tartus corridor: feasibility study or framework agreement expected in coming months. [ ] - Resolution of the Syrian detainee file: al-Sharaa has pushed for repatriation of Syrians held in Iraq with no ISIS connection. [ ] - A reciprocal visit by al-Sharaa to Baghdad, which has not yet been scheduled. [ ] - Arab League and Gulf state reactions to the deepening Iraq-Syria economic partnership. :NOTE How we know this. Al-Zaidi's arrival and talks: Al Jazeera (13:47 UTC 28 October 2026), Iraqi News Agency (INA, official government statements), TRT World. Trade truck figures and pipeline details: Arab News/Reuters (28 October 2026). Oil pipeline MOU and Hormuz context: Asharq Al-Awsat (28 October 2026). Detainee figures and al-Sharaa quotes: Arab News (28 October 2026). Background on Assad's fall and Iraq's cautious engagement: Al Jazeera archive. Cover image: Damascus Panorama.jpg by an anony :LINK https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/28/iraqi-pm-ali-al-zaidi-meets-ahmed-al-sharaa-in-historic-syria-visit Al Jazeera: Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi meets Ahmed al-Sharaa in historic Syria visit :LINK https://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/iraqi-pm-visits-syria-as-al-sharaa-calls-for-closer-economic-security-ties-3008663 Arab News: Iraqi PM visits Syria as al-Sharaa calls for closer economic and security ties :LINK https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5334636-iraqi-pm-visits-syria-neighbors-seek-boost-economic-ties Asharq Al-Awsat: Iraqi PM visits Syria as neighbours seek to boost economic ties :LINK https://www.trtworld.com/article/e51d8d902c07 TRT World: Iraqi PM visits Damascus in first such trip since Assad's fall