Iran Ready to Meet Iraq’s Defense Needs
IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK
TEHRAN – Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri says defense cooperation between neighboring Iran and Iraq will improve security in the Arab country in the face of U.S. efforts to revive terrorists in the region.
He made the remarks on the sidelines of a meeting with Iraq’s Defense Minister Lieutenant General Juma Anad Saadoun Khattab in Tehran on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters, Baqeri referred to close relations and historical commonalities between Iran and Iraq, saying the armed forces of the two countries enjoy long-term ties and interests.
The Iraqi defense minister, along with Navy, Air Force, Air Defense commanders, discussed with Iranian officials ways to reinforce defense and military cooperation, he said.
They, he added, also visited an exhibition of Iranian defense industries and would hold meetings with their Iranian counterparts.
Baqeri further noted that during his meeting with the Iraqi defense minister, the two sides exchanged views on issues related to defense industry and security of the two countries’ common borders, as well as bilateral cooperation and joint military exercises.
“The purpose of this meeting is to develop and deepen security in both Iran and Iraq, but of course Iraq has faced several conspiracies in recent years,” he said.
“And now, as the Americans seek to redeploy terrorists in the region, this cooperation will provide better security for Iraq.”
The two countries have prepared a document on defense cooperation, which will be signed in the near future, Baqeri said, adding that Iran’s Defense Ministry supplied Iraq with the equipment it needed under previous accords.
He also stressed that preparations have been made to strengthen educational, operational and advisory cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries.
Meanwhile earlier Minister of Defense Amir Hatami, in a meeting with his Saadoun, said Iran, with its plenty of capacities and infrastructure, is ready to meet the needs of the Iraqi Armed Forces.
In this session, Amir Hatami commemorated the resistance’s martyrs, especially the martyrs Lt. Gen. Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mehdi Al-Mohandes, saying: “These two commanders have done great to secure the Iran and Iraq, the region and the humanity.”
Amir Hatami, stating that today Iraq enjoys better security than in the past, said: “We continue to support the political process and the stability and security of Iraq and the territorial integrity of our neighbor.”
The Minister of Defense of Iran noted: “To ensure the region’s security, good cooperation has been established between Iran and Iraq in the fight against terrorism. The development of Iraq is necessary for establishing stability and security there, and we are ready to participate in the reconstruction and development of Iraq.”
He also stated: Insecurity and instability in the region have not been limited to recent years and decades; Unfortunately, this situation has more or less existed in the past due to the intervention of foreigners, colonial and arrogant powers, and today the region is going through susceptible and difficult conditions.
“If there were not for the resistance of the Iraqis and Syrians against the aggressors and criminal terrorists, the region might have been in an unknown and dangerous situation,” He noted.
“The world powers policy, especially the U.S. the great Satan, has shown that they have long-term plans to destabilize the region,” he said.
Amir Hatami stated: “We believe that this is the countries in the region must ensure the security of their region, and as long as the ultra-regional forces are present and involved, it will not be possible to achieve stability and peace.”
“In the meantime, a trend that has recently intensified is the secret relations of some governments with the Zionist regime, and we consider it a betrayal to all Muslim nations,” the Minister went on to say.
