The Chief of Staff of Iraq’s Army, General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, received General Philippe Le Carff, Deputy Chief of the French Armed Forces and his accompanying delegation.
At the beginning of the meeting, Yarallah welcomed the guests and praised the distinguished military relations with France, Iraq’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The Deputy Chief of the French Armed Forces expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality, reaffirming his country’s commitment to further developing and strengthening prospects for future cooperation, particularly in enhancing the capabilities of the Iraqi Air Force and Army Aviation Command.
On 25 September 2024, the Chief of the General Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Abdul Amir Yarallah, and the Chief of the Defense Staff of France, Thierry Bukhard, discussed a military cooperation agreement between Iraq and France, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
During their meeting in the French capital, Paris, the two sides reviewed bilateral military cooperation and possible strategies to enhance the capabilities of the Iraqi armed forces, particularly after the conclusion of the international coalition mission in Iraq.
In May 2024, Yarallah and Bukhard talked about providing the Iraqi Army with modern weapons and equipment. The two parties also reviewed the capabilities of the French Army, which may serve the requirements of the Iraqi Army.
Iraq and the European aviation company Airbus reached a deal in early September 2024 to buy 14 military helicopters, including 12 Caracal H225M multi-role combat helicopters.
A ceremony attended by the Iraqi Minister of Defense, Thabet Al-Abbasi, officials from Airbus, and the French Ambassador to Iraq, Patrick Durel, was held in Baghdad to sign the deal, according to AFP.
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, said in May 2024 that Iraq is open to effective partnerships with French companies, particularly in terms of bolstering the Armed Forces’ defensive capabilities.
Al-Sudani’s remarks took place during a meeting with the former French Ambassador to Iraq, Eric Chevalier, where they discussed strategies to promote the bilateral ties between the two countries.
The two parties discussed a contract that was signed between Baghdad and the French company Thales.
During a visit of Al-Abbasi to France earlier in March, the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu, expressed France’s eagerness to support Iraq after the completion of the international coalition’s mission.
The two sides agreed on supporting Iraq’s sovereignty by securing its airspace using the latest technologies and equipment.
In July 2023, Lecornu and Al-Abbasi reviewed the discussions Baghdad was holding with Thales Group regarding the GM400 radar.
In January 2023, during a visit to Paris, Al-Sudani met with representatives of Thales Group, Dassault Group, and Airbus to discuss the possible supply of radars, Rafale aircraft, and military helicopters to Baghdad.
The Iraqi and French Air Forces conducted joint exercises in Iraq last May, in which Rafale aircraft took part. (Iraq’s Ministry of Defense; INA; AFP; IraqiNews.com; Photo © Iraq’s Ministry of Defense)
