On May 27, 2025, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Republic of Iraq held a festive event on the occasion of May 28 - Independence Day.

The event was attended by state and government officials, parliamentary committee chairmen, parliamentarians, representatives of the diplomatic corps and international organizations, scientists, culture and art figures, our Turkmen compatriots and journalists.

After the national anthems of both countries were played, the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Iraq Elnur Mammadzade made a speech and spoke about the history of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, whose 107th anniversary was celebrated, the achievements achieved in the short period of building an independent, democratic state, the establishment of the first parliament and government, state apparatus and management institutions, the definition of the country's borders, the creation of military units with high combat capability, and the provision of territorial integrity and national security. E. Mammadzadeh noted that during the Republic, the flag and anthem of Azerbaijan were adopted and the Azerbaijani language was declared the state language.

The Charge d'Affaires stated that after our country regained its independence in 1991, it declared itself the successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic established in 1918. He spoke about the successes achieved by independent Azerbaijan, the global projects implemented in our country under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, and noted that our country has preserved and developed its independence as a result of the exceptional services of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev.

E. Mammadzade stated that the wise and far-sighted policy pursued by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has yielded successful results and that with the Victory we gained in the 44-day Patriotic War, the lands of Azerbaijan that had been under occupation for nearly 30 years were liberated by our glorious Army.

The Chargé d'Affaires stated that Azerbaijan's winning the right to host the next COP29 with the unanimous support of all countries is a clear example of the recognition of the country's leadership and efforts in addressing climate change on a national, regional and global scale.

E. Mammadzade stating that the main strategic goal of our country's multi-vector independent foreign policy is to transform Azerbaijan as a country and then the South Caucasus as a region, into a center that allows for maximum benefit from cooperation, harmonization of interests, protection of its geographical position and geostrategic features, emphasized that thanks to the successful domestic and foreign policy formulated by President Ilham Aliyev, our country has been able to rise to the status of one of the main transport hubs of Eurasia, the main energy partner of the European Union, the main driving force of regional economic progress and a partner country that reconciles the interests of its large neighbors.

Speaking about Azerbaijan-Iraq bilateral relations, the Chargé d'Affaires ad interim noted that the cultural, religious and historical friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Iraq currently cover the fields of science, education, culture, economy, energy, and investment, and that our political relations are carried out on a bilateral basis, as well as within the framework of the UN, the OIC, and the Non-Aligned Movement.

E. Mammadzadeh stated that the Republic of Iraq was among the first countries to recognize the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan, that diplomatic relations were established between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Iraq on March 30, 1992, and that the Consulate General of Iraq, which had been operating in Baku since the USSR era, was elevated to the status of an Embassy in 1992. The diplomat, who noted that the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations was celebrated three years ago, noted that Iraq is one of the priorities in Azerbaijan's foreign policy, and that Iraq's support for Azerbaijan's position in international organizations, especially within the framework of the OIC, in adopting resolutions demanding the elimination of the military aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan, the liberation of the occupied territories, and the return of refugees to their native lands, has had a strong impact on the formation of public opinion in the Islamic world, including Arab states.

E. Mammadzade noted that relations between our countries have been developing steadily in recent years, that the 3 visits of the President of the Republic of Iraq Abdullatif Jamal Rashid to our country in 2023 and 2024 opened a new page in the history of bilateral relations, that the official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov to Iraq on May 7, 2025 was fruitful in terms of identifying the potential of cooperation between the two countries in various fields, and that Azerbaijan is interested in investing in Iraq's energy, infrastructure, food industry, agriculture, transport and construction sectors.

E. Mammadzade expressed his deep gratitude to the President of the Republic of Iraq, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the employees of the Ministry, members of the Iraqi Parliament and the Council of Ministers and other state and non-state organizations who have always supported the activities of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Baghdad. 

After the official speeches, 2 video clips dedicated to our country and Independence Day were shown.