Tehran, Baghdad Aim to Boost Trade to $20b
IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK
TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday said that Iran and Iraq are determined to carry out the provisions of both sides’ latest visit.
President Rouhani welcomed Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi here in Tehran on Tuesday.
The formal ceremony was held and President Rouhani and the Iraqi PM reviewed the guard of honor and introduced the high-ranking delegations.
In a joint press conference with Iraqi PM, President Rouhani expressed content about the improvement of economic ties between Tehran and Baghdad.
Rouhani informed that he has discussed regional health issues under the outbreak of Covid-19 with Al-Kadhimi.
“I assure the Iraqi nation that Iran will stand beside them by supplying the required health products and medicine in the fight against the coronavirus,” the Iranian President said.
The Iranian President added that Iran-Iraq trade ties are planned to hit 20 billion per annum in the future.
He also paid tribute to both countries’ commanders, Lt. Gen. Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was martyred by the direct order of the US President in Baghdad, in January 2020.
Rouhani also reiterated Iran’s readiness to ensure security and stability in Iraq.
Al-Kadhimi, for his part, named expansion of mutual ties with Iran as the main purpose of his visit to Tehran. He said Tehran-Baghdad ties are historic.
He vowed that his country will not allow any threat against Iran from the Iraqi soil. He said Iraq is in need of cooperation with Iran to overcome challenges put forward by the COVID-19 outbreak and the slump in oil price.
Underlining the significance of preserving peace and stability in the region, he said Iraq will never forget Iran’s support in its combat with the ISIL and terrorist groups. Iraq accordingly stood beside Iran to help it overcome economic challenges, he added. He hoped that Iran-Iraq cooperation will end in overcoming regional challenges, as well.
Rouhani welcomed Al-Kadhimi at Tehran’s Islamic Summit Conference Hall on Tuesday. The two officials held a private meeting before attending the press conference.
On the sidelines of the meeting, an official from the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) informed that Iraq and Iran are on the verge of finalizing a foreign currency agreement which will inundate Iran’s market with several million U.S. dollars in the near future.
As Hamid Ghanbari said, the two neighboring countries are to expand foreign currency and banking ties.
Ghanbari, who accompanied Iranian FM Zarif into his recent visit to Iraq, added that in this visit the two sides have negotiated on various cooperation fields and all the accorded issues will be finalized during the current Iraqi PM visit to Iran.
Almost a year ago, Iran and Iraq inked a banking agreement and the CBI governor made a trip to Iraq almost a month ago.
The meeting was held at the presence of Iranian Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami, Iranian oil minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami, Caretaker of Iranian Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade Hossein Modarres Khiabani, and The Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Abdolnaser Hemmati.
Later yesterday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei received Iraqi Prime Minister.
