Under the terms of the deal, the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) and National Olympic Committee of Iraq (NOCI) have agreed on closer cooperation, with special emphasis on youth development.

COE President Alejandro Blanco, re-elected to the position in December, has agreed to visit Baghdad in April following an invitation from NOCI counterpart Raad Hammoudi.

Both Hammoudi and Blanco attended the signing ceremony for the MoU in Madrid.

"We came to Spain because we realise the weight of Spanish sports globally and what Spanish athletes have achieved in high-profile sports," Hammoudi said.

"We are very happy to sign this MoU which will open up new horizons and serious cooperation that will benefit Iraq sports.

"We hope by signing this memorandum it will strengthen cooperation that has brought us together on many occasions and we hope to continue working together over the coming years to achieve success."

Hammoudi had targeted increased sporting ties with Spain after he met with its Ambassador Pedro Martinez in September.

Following the meeting, Hammoudi expressed a desire to renew an agreement with the COE regarding sports cooperation.