Al-Monitor | Mohsen Shariatinia: Geopolitical power projection could be, at first sight, the logic underlying Iran's policy of expanding ties with and playing a role in Iraq. But in recent years, and with the growing necessity arising from the reimposition of US sanctions, Tehran has chosen to also focus on geo-economic interests in Iraq. It has tried, therefore, to augment its share of the Iraqi market and major economic projects, helping develop Iraq�s soft and hard infrastructure.

The vacuum created by the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq provided significant room for Iran's strategic interactions with Iraq. And now the Trump administration's sanctions have paradoxically helped Iran concentrate on pursuing geo-economic interests in Iraq.

Accompanied by a large delegation of Iranian business leaders, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif recently visited Iraq, with economic diplomacy topping the agenda, an example of Iran's geo-economic ambitions. An upcoming trip to Iraq by President Hassan Rouhani is also expected to revolve around the same economic interactions.

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