Iraq appoints first female ambassador to Saudi Arabia

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Safia Taleb Ali Al Souhail has recently become Iraq's first female ambassador to neighboring Saudi Arabia following the diplomat’s end of the assignment in Italy.

The female diplomat officially presented her credentials on Monday to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Al Souhail has previously served as Iraq’s ambassador to Jordan, Italy, and Palestine.

Following the ouster of Iraq’s Ba’athist regime in 2003, the 57-year-old independent politician became the first Iraqi female ambassador in the country’s history, according to the foreign ministry.

She is the daughter of Sheikh Taleb Al Souhail, a well-known Iraqi opposition figure who was assassinated in Beirut in 1994.

As a member of Iraq’s Council of Representatives, Ms. Al Souhail had served as a leading member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and chair of the Iraqi Parliamentary Friendship Committee with the European Union.

Baghdad and Riyadh currently enjoy close diplomatic relations following years of Iraq’s isolation from regional engagement.

The bilateral ties have been strengthened by Saudi pledges of investment in various Iraqi sectors, particularly as the fight against the so-called Islamic State waned in 2017.

Saudi Arabia sealed off its land and air borders with Iraq following Baghdad’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

In a bid to normalize its damaged ties with regional countries, Iraq has tried to boost its diplomatic engagement, particularly with the two historical Middle Eastern rivals: Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Baghdad had hosted at least five rounds of talks between Riyadh and Tehran before the two former foes officially reconciled through Chinese mediation in March.