ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday discussed energy agreements between the two countries in Berlin, while expressing their desire to further expand cooperation.

Zaidi arrived in Germany on Tuesday as the second leg of his first European tour as premier following his visit to France, where he was received by Merz in an official ceremony in Berlin. 

“The relationship between Iraq and Germany is strong and founded on mutual respect,” Zaidi said during a joint meeting with Merz, noting that “the partnership between Iraq and Germany will be a reciprocal, bilateral partnership, not a one-sided one.” 

“We will export crude oil to Europe via Syria and Turkey, and we seek to diversify our export sources and will not remain dependent on a single route,” Zaidi said. 

Iran has shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil is transported, as part of its war against the US and Israel, contributing to a sharp rise in oil prices. The US has responded by imposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports, which Trump has said costs Iran $500 million a day.

The recent US-Iran war has also taken a significant toll on Iraq’s oil exports and its economy, as the country exports the majority of its oil through the strategic waterway.

Baghdad has sought methods to alleviate its difficulties in exporting through the blockaded strait by using alternative routes.

"Many German companies are now active in Iraq. They are developing new solutions, for example for energy supply," Merz said for his part as cited by AFP. 

"The best example is an agreement on Iraq's electricity supply, which we will sign today".

During his visit, Zaidi held “extensive talks” on ways to enhance “cooperation and bilateral partnership in various fields and sectors,” according to a statement from his office.

Zaidi also met with Siemens Energy CEO Christian Bruch during his visit, where they discussed “developing mechanisms for cooperation,” with the premier stressing “significant opportunities” to further strengthen partnership between the two, his office said.

“These efforts include rehabilitating and developing electricity distribution and transmission networks and diversifying power generation sources through the construction of power plants that rely not only on gas but also on other fuel sources,” the statement added. 

Zaidi also took part in a German-Iraqi business forum where he reviewed “Iraq’s investment map, which includes the energy sector, oil and petrochemical industries, the phosphate industry, clean energy, and pharmaceutical industries.”