The Director of Iraq’s Military Training, Major General Ali Abbas Manshed, met with the Italian Military Attaché to Iraq to discuss ways to enhance cooperation and joint training, exchange expertise and experiences, and develop joint specialized training programs and courses.
During the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of continued coordination and communication and expanding areas of cooperation to contribute to developing the capabilities of training personnel and raising the level of training, efficiency, and readiness of the Iraqi Armed Forces, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The longstanding, comprehensive, and stable relations between Italy and Iraq date back to 1931. The Treaty of Friendship, Partnership, and Cooperation, signed between Italy and Iraq in 2007, forms the regulatory framework guiding bilateral cooperation in fields such as economy, security, culture, education, science, technology, healthcare, legal, judicial, and administrative sectors.
Italy has actively supported and trained Iraqi armed forces and security personnel for years within the framework of the International Coalition against ISIS and through the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI), which it led from May 2022 to May 2023.
Economically, Iraq is a significant trade partner for Italy, serving as both a vital energy supplier and a market for Italian-made products, with special emphasis on the metallurgy, electrical, and electronics sectors, as well as services provided by Italian civil engineering, Industrial, oil and gas companies, according to the Italian Embassy in Baghdad.
In the cultural sector, there are currently 23 active Italian archaeological missions in Iraq, involving over 10 Italian universities and research institutions working to preserve and promote Iraq’s cultural heritage.
In another development, on Sunday, August 16, 2026, the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, received the Commander of the Special Forces Division, Major General Osama Abdul Tarish, on the occasion of his assuming his new duties.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Chief of Staff congratulated the Division Commander on his appointment, wishing him success in his duties and emphasizing the importance of raising the level of performance, enhancing readiness, and maintaining discipline to ensure the optimal execution of assigned tasks and missions.
The meeting also addressed several topics related to the Division’s operations and ways to develop its capabilities and enhance the efficiency of its personnel to meet the demands of the next phase. (Iraq’s Ministry of Defense (MoD); Italian Embassy in Baghdad; Photo © Iraq MoD)
