Amid growing regional tensions, Iraq has sought to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia and advance its nascent economic ties with the Kingdom. The bilateral relationship was fraught for decades, sparked by former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s (1979-2003) invasion of Kuwait in 1990. This situation continued for well over a decade after the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, when Riyadh declined to send an ambassador to Baghdad.

But in recent years, the two neighbors have reached a level of diplomatic and economic rapprochement. This demonstrates the mutual commitment to strengthening regional stability, as well as ensuring the viability of...