TEHRAN (Iran News) In a statement to the country’s official news agency on Tuesday, Bahr Al Uloom described Baqaei’s comments about the democratic process in Iraq as “positive”.

He said that the Iranian spokesperson not only praised the political and electoral atmosphere in Iraq, but also clarified the stance of the Islamic Republic that the Iraqi elections to be “an internal issue”.

Bahr Al Uloom added that Baqaei also expressed hope that the Iraqi people’s participation in the electoral process will help outline the political future of the country.

He continued by citing Baqaei’s statements that any outcome of the elections will not change the level of good and positive relations the two neighbors enjoy and that Iraq’s stability is in the interest of the entire region “Baghdad ”

Finally, the Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister appreciated and thanked the Islamic Republic of Iran for its positive stance towards the Iraqi government and the people.

The statement issued on the day Iraqis from across the country are heading to the polls to elect a new parliament. Over 20 million people are eligible to cast their ballots to elect 329 members of parliament.

He said that the Iranian spokesperson not only praised the political and electoral atmosphere in Iraq, but also clarified the stance of the Islamic Republic that the Iraqi elections to be “an internal issue”.

Bahr Al Uloom added that Baqaei also expressed hope that the Iraqi people’s participation in the electoral process will help outline the political future of the country.

He continued by citing Baqaei’s statements that any outcome of the elections will not change the level of good and positive relations the two neighbors enjoy and that Iraq’s stability is in the interest of the entire region “Baghdad ”

Finally, the Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister appreciated and thanked the Islamic Republic of Iran for its positive stance towards the Iraqi government and the people.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Seyed Sattar Hashemi, in a meeting on Wednesday evening with Nasir Abdulmohsen Abdullah Al-Khrawi, Iraq’s ambassador to Tehran, highlighted the cultural and religious ties between the two nations. He noted that Iran and Iraq have collaborated in bandwidth provision for Arbaeen ceremonies over the years, leading to significant improvements in communication infrastructure during the event.

Hashemi described enhancing cooperation in the development of a reliable communication network for Arbaeen pilgrims as crucial to ensuring better connectivity between visitors and their families, ultimately leading to greater satisfaction. He stressed that this issue should remain a priority for both countries.

The minister also referred to previous collaborations in smart governance and cybersecurity, emphasizing that sharing Iran’s experiences in these areas could be another field of cooperation with Iraq.

He mentioned Iran’s strategic plans for developing advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), stating that Iran has made serious efforts to utilize AI capabilities and is willing to extend collaboration in this domain with Iraq.

Hashemi further highlighted joint investment opportunities in international transit, undersea fiber-optic cables, and the establishment of large data centers in Iran as promising areas for bilateral cooperation.

For his part, Iraq’s Ambassador Al-Khrawi underscored the strong and extensive relations between the two nations, stating that high-ranking officials from both sides have set a target of increasing annual trade exchanges to $20 billion. He noted that a portion of this trade volume is expected to include the communications and information technology sectors. “Baghdad ”

He pointed out that Iraq requires enhanced cooperation with Iran in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and communication infrastructure.

Al-Khrawi also referred to the significant number of pilgrims traveling between the two countries, with 8 to 10 million Iranians visiting Iraq annually and 3 to 4 million Iraqis traveling to Iran. He stressed that such large-scale exchanges necessitate a special joint effort to improve communication services.

The meeting was also attended by Hamid Fattahi, Deputy Minister and Head of the Communications Regulatory Authority, and Behzad Akbari, Deputy Minister and CEO of the Telecommunications Infrastructure Company, who elaborated on potential areas of cooperation between the two nations.

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The Iranian president made the remarks while speaking in a joint press conference with new Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who arrived in Tehran on Tuesday on his first visit at the head of a high-ranking politico-economic delegation.

“From the point of view of Iran and the Iraqi government, security, peace and stability in the region are very important and therefore, the fight against terrorist groups, organized crimes, drug trafficking and any [source of] insecurity that threatens the region is among [issues of] the agreements and common will of the two countries,” Raisi said.

He added that only the countries in the region should ensure regional security, stability and peace, stressing, “The presence of foreign forces in the region does not bring in security at all but it is a problem in addition to our problems.”

As the US presence in Afghanistan and Iraq has failed to promote security, it would also fail to result in any outcome in other parts of the region, the Iranian chief executive said, emphasizing, “American forces withdrawal from the region can greatly definitely contribute to the security of the region.”

Elsewhere in the presser, Raisi said ties between Tehran and Baghdad are rooted in the two nations’ beliefs and expressed hope the two sides would further expand cultural, political, social and security cooperation.

“The presence of the Iraqi prime minister in the Islamic Republic of Iran is a turning point in the relations between the two countries and these negotiations can definitely be a major step towards improving ties,” he added.

The Iranian president noted that economic, trade, monetary and banking issues as well as the export of electricity and gas are also on the agenda of the talks between the two sides’ delegations.

Iran and Iraq have common stance on mutual, regional and international relations which would definitely help the two countries promote ties at regional and international levels, Raeisi pointed out.

The Iraqi prime minister said his country would not allow terrorist groups to use its soil to harm any country, particularly Iran.

Sudani added that the inseparable security of Iran and Iraq is complementary to each other and is a part of the regional security.

He said the Iraqi government is ready to establish a working mechanism with Iran to prevent any tension as it believes that dialogue and interaction are the best solution to the woes.

The prime minister hailed Iran’s advisory presence in Iraq and its role in the battle against Daesh terrorists and stressed the importance of strengthening joint cooperation to fight terrorism and illicit drugs.

Al Sudani stressed that Iraq is trying to pay Iran’s arrears through special mechanisms.

From Iraq’s view, interaction is the best way to avoid problems, he said emphasizing the Iraqi government’s commitment to cooperate with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all common fields.

The Iraqi people and government do not forget Iran’s support against ISIS, he said.

He emphasized the importance of joint cooperation in fighting against terrorism and illegal drugs.

He noted that the two sides will discuss transferring crude.

Earlier on Tuesday and during the meeting after the welcoming ceremony, Raisi said that the Islamic Republic of Iran always supports the united nation and strong government in Iraq.

Emphasizing the determination of Iran to expand cooperation and improve the level of relations with Iraq in the economic, commercial, political, cultural, and security fields, he added that Iran seeks to develop exchanges with Iraq in various commercial and energy fields. “Holding regular meetings of the joint cooperation commission between the two countries can play an effective role in realizing this goal.”

“The relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq are privileged, and the strengthening and deepening of bilateral relations should lead to the expansion and improvement of the level of regional and international interactions in order to establish as much peace and stability in the region and the world as possible,” Raisi underlined.

For his part, Al-Sudani said that Iran has a privileged and excellent position in Iraq’s foreign policy, and the relations between the two countries are expanding in a favorable and satisfactory manner.

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Mehdi Mahdavikia’s team will leave Tehran on May 22 to hold camp in the Iraqi city.

Iran will play two friendly matches with Iraq U23 team in their training camp.

Iran prepare for the AFC U23 Asian Cup to be held in Uzbekistan from June 1 to 19.

Hosts Uzbekistan, the 2018 champions, will have Iran, Qatar and newcomers Turkmenistan to contend with in Group A.

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“Due to the negative effects of insecurity in Iraq on Iran’s security, the Iranian officials have always tried to establish stability and security in Iraq,” Hassan Hanizadeh said in an interview with IRNA published on Saturday.

Qaani’s visit, according to the expert, occurred in a very important and sensitive situation.

He also believes that the trip took place in the framework of Tehran’s efforts to strengthen political stability in Iraq.

“Iran does not want a Shiite-Shiite or Shiite-Sunni or Arab-Kurdish conflict to take place in this brotherly and neighboring country and has made every effort to build harmony and empathy between political groups and tribes and followers of different religions in Iraq,” he reiterated.

The expert on Iraq added that the visit by the Quds Force chief was primarily intended to create harmony and empathy between all political spectrums of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds.

“In fact, this trip was made to extinguish the fire of sedition that was ignited by the Americans,” Hanizadeh added.

He said, “The positive consequences (of the trip) will be revealed in the Iraqi political scene in the coming days and weeks.”

Hanizadeh noted that Iran hopes that all political factions in Iraq, including Sairoon (the political party led by Muqtada Sadr), will show goodwill and will not be influenced by the propaganda and seditious atmosphere created by the United States, the Zionist regime and some countries in the region.

Regarding the composition of the seats in the new Iraqi parliament, Hanizadeh said, “The majority faction in the Iraqi parliament needs 165 seats to form a government, which is half plus one seat. The Sairoon coalition, led by Muqtada Sadr, has 73 seats, the Sunni coalition, led by Mohammed al-Halbousi, has 37 seats, and the Kurdish coalition, including the Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, have a total of 61 seats.”

The regional affairs expert added that because of Muqtada Sadr’s differences with movements such as the State of Law bloc led by Nouri Maliki and Fatah alliance led by Hadi Ameri, Muqtada Sadr will naturally turn to Sunni and Kurdish movements by trying to attract all Iraqi tribes so that he can win the majority and take over the parliament.

“Muqtada Sadr is not willing to form the next government under the umbrella of the State of Law bloc and Fatah Alliance, so he is trying to form a triple alliance with the Sunnis and the Kurds in order to form the next government,” the expert predicted.

The veteran expert also pointed to cultural, religious and historical affinities between Iran and Iraq, saying that Iran’s spiritual influence in Iraq has always been a concern of Western countries, especially the United States and the Zionist regime, and at the same time, some Arab countries.

“In today’s Iraq, where there are divisions between the country’s political groups, the Islamic Republic encourages all religious, ethnic and political groups in the country to maintain unity and form a government of national unity,” Hanizadeh explained.

He also said that Iran wants to form a government in Baghdad that is the result of the will of the Iraqi people and that Iran does not want to escalate the differences between the Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish currents in Iraq.

He concluded by saying that while the Iraqi tribes are lining up against each other, the visit by Brigadier General Qaani took place with the aim of mediating between them.

“Given Qaani’s eloquence and knowledge of all Iraqi political movements, his visit to Baghdad was very effective in extinguishing the fire of sedition in this country,” the expert concluded.

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Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi held talks with senior Iranian officials including Parliament Speaker Mohamad Bagher Ghalibaf on Sunday.

“The Iraqi Prime Minister was the first political official since the Raisi administration took office, which shows the depth of Iran-Iraq relations,” Vahid Jalalzadeh told Mehr on Monday.

He said that the Iraqi prime minister traveled to the Islamic Republic to congratulate Raisi’s presidency and to pursue economic and political projects between Iran and Iraq.

Al-Kadhimi stated that in his government he tried to implement the agreements signed between Iran and Iraq in political, economic and security areas, and to gain the consent of the Islamic Republic, the MP noted.

Jalalzadeh stated: “Al-Kadhimi, referring to the economic, political and security pressures on the Iraqi people in recent decades, emphasized that the Iraqi officials and nation will not forget the efforts and struggles of the Iranian people in supporting the Iraqi people.”

Iraq has been suffering since Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in September 1980 that lasted until in 1988. After the war against Iran, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990.

Iraq was put under the UN sanctions for its capture of Kuwait. From 1991 to 2003, Iraq was just allowed to sell oil to import food and medicine.

In 2003, the U.S. invaded Iraq under the false pretext that Iraq was hiding weapons of mass destruction. The invasion turned Iraq into a battlefield for terrorists, so that rarely a day passed that a terrorist attack did not happen in Iraq.  Amid bombings and terror attacks by terror groups such as al-Qaeda and pro-Saddam groups, a new more violent group that its kind that the world had emerged in 2014. It was called Daesh in its acronym or Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Iran rushed to help Syria and Iraq in the fight against this unimaginably brutal group.

However, Jalalzadeh said Qalibaf told the Iraqi prime minister that the Iranian people are asking why Iraq is not helping Iran at this time of illegal sanctions by the United States.

“The speaker of the Majlis addressed the Iraqi prime minister and said the people ask us that we helped Iraq and our youth sacrificed their lives for the common security of the two countries, then why Iran and Iraq do not have defensible relations in economic fields, and Iraq is not helping Iran in sanctions time.”

“You are right,” al- Kadhimi stated in response to the remarks of the Iranian speaker, the parliamentary committee chief said.

Al-Kadhimi noted that after the sanctions of the 1990s, Iraq is continuing to receive the currency it needs from U.S. federal banks, and “we are facing sanctions in financial and banking matters that we could not get rid of, but we are trying to stand by the people and the government of Iran.”

Jalalzadeh evaluated the trip as positive and highlighted that if the two nations of Iran and Iraq came together, many problems in the region would definitely be resolved.

“Iraq can take important steps in breaking U.S. sanctions against Syria. In addition, the Iraqi government can help the Lebanese people circumvent the sanctions.”

The Islamic Republic seeks to develop economic relations with Iraq, the MP underlined, and stated the team that accompanied the Iraqi prime minister on the visit to Iran was very significant.

It is rare for a country’s prime minister to bring so many officials with him. The ministers of foreign affairs, energy, transport, housing, chief of the national security council, and the minister of finance accompanied al-Kadhimi on the visit, which demonstrates Iraq’s political will to improve economic relations with Iran.

The parliamentarian referred to some border and economic issues in the bilateral meeting.

“I hope this visit will be a prelude to the promotion of Iran-Iraq relations during the Raisi administration.”

In response to a question on whether the Iraqi prime minister had a message from Saudi Arabia for talks with, Jalalzadeh stressed, “Iraq has been the venue for talks between the Iranian and Saudi delegations until today.”

This case goes its own way, he said, underscoring that the Islamic Republic seeks to defuse tensions and establish good relations with neighboring countries.

“The experience of Afghanistan is before us. If we pave the way for foreign countries to act in the region, no communication will be established between neighboring countries.”

The MP also said Iran was ready to have mutual and constructive relations with the countries in the region.

“We hope that Saudi Arabia and other countries of the Persian Gulf will understand this concept and help establish communication in a constructive and bilateral relationship that serves the interests of both countries.”

One of the important principles of the foreign policy of the current administration, as emphasized by the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is the promotion of relations with neighboring countries, Jalalzadeh reiterated.

He stressed: ” The priority of the Islamic Republic is economic diplomacy with neighboring countries.”

During his visit to Tehran, Prime Minister al-Kadhimi addressed many bilateral issues and discussed ways to boost ties with Iran in an arduous effort to balance Iraq’s relations with key stakeholders in the region.

Heading a politico-economic delegation, al-Kadhimi was welcomed by the new Iranian president, Ayatollah Seyed Ebrahim Raisi. The Iraqi premier met with the Iranian president to discuss a variety of issues including visa abolition for Iranian citizens, completion of a joint railway project and increasing the level of trade between Iran and Iraq.

During a joint press conference, the two leaders stressed the importance of deepening the Iran-Iraq relations at all levels.

“The deep bonds between Tehran and Baghdad stems from the beliefs and hearts of two nations, two countries and two governments,” Ayatollah Raisi said. “Despite the wishes of the enemies, the level of relations between Iran and Iraq will develop day by day.”

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Speaking to ILNA and reacting to Iraqi Prime Minister’s visit to Tehran, Al-e Eshaq said Mostafa Al-Kadhimi and his seven cabinet ministers’ visit to Tehran shows the importance of the visit, adding that Al-Kadhimi was the first foreign political feature who paid a visit to Tehran under the new government in Tehran and it will have definitely good outputs.

He noted that the ties between Tehran and Baghdad are built based on long term strategies, as the trade volume between the two states in the past has been between 3 to seven billion dollars and it can rise to 20 to 30 billion dollars in the future.

He went on to say that there are good grounds for Iran’s exports to Iraq in the fields of non-oil, oil and developmental projects and it is expected cooperation in the developmental projects in Iraq to increase.

On Iran’s blocked assets in Iraq, Al-e Eshaq said that most of the blocked assets are related to the oil and electricity and the private sector has received its money in Iraq, adding that the two countries have reached an agreement and interaction is underway for unblocking the money.

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“We are very pleased with the presence of the high-ranking delegation of the friendly and brotherly country of Iraq in our country and thank God, the relations between the two countries in the political, economic and cultural fields are very good, but they can be further developed,” said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in his press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Sunday.

He also added that the two sides emphasized the will to develop Iran-Iraq relations during the meeting.

“Iran-Iraq relations can increase despite the wishes of the enemies,” he noted.

Stating that the role of the two countries in the region, the world and international relations can affect Iran-Iraq relations, the President said, “What was discussed in the specialized meetings between the honorable ministers, as well as in the meeting between me and the Prime Minister of Iraq is all for the development of relations. Some decisions were made in these meetings which we hope will be implemented soon.”

“Visa waiver for citizens of both countries was Mr. Prime Minister’s good news,” he added, saying, “The will of Iran and Iraq to develop the railway corridor and accelerate the construction of the Shalamcheh-Basra railway is also a good step that we hope will be done quickly with his order and the follow-up of the relevant ministers.”

The financial and monetary issue between the two countries was also one of the issues that were discussed, Raisi said.

Referring to the approach of Arabaeen, he said, “We are on the threshold of Arbaeen and the situation of coronavirus pandemic has created conditions not only for the two countries but also for the world, and the preservation of the pilgrims is a very important issue.”

“The corona situation has caused some limitations in Iraq, but at the same time, the Iraqi Prime Minister has promised to increase the number of pilgrims as much as possible so that more pilgrims can enter Iraq for the Arbaeen ceremony,” the President added.

He also expressed hope that the relations between the two countries will increase day by day despite the wishes of the enemies of the two countries.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, for his part, said, “My people in Iraq want to strengthen relations with all their neighbors.”

During the press conference, the Iraqi premier thanked the Iranian president for his warm welcome and added that he was in Iran to congratulate him on winning the Iranian presidency once again.

He added that in today’s meeting the two politicians reviewed a series of issues related to bilateral relations. The Iraqi premier added that this is the second time he is visiting Iran, which shows the importance of relations between the two countries.

Al-Kadhimi touched upon the cultural similarities between two neighboring countries, saying that the two countries share 1,400-kilometer borders while their bilateral relations are much broader.

He expressed his gratitude for Iran’s help during the fight against the ISIL terrorist group, stressing, “My people in Iraq have a democratic culture and they want to strengthen relations with all their neighbors.”

“Iraq encourages and supports all the efforts of the Islamic Republic. Iraq’s stance regarding Iran is firm, and the Iraqi government and people stand by the Iranian people and government at the time of all challenges, problems and under different circumstances,” the Iraqi prime minister also underlined.

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Reza Sadr al-Hosseini, an expert on West Asia affairs, has stressed that there is a very important and fundamental point about the Baghdad meeting, and that is the return of Iraq as a reliable and effective player in the West Asian region, especially in the Arab world.

“The issue of Iraq’s return as an Arab actor in the region, was one of the points mentioned by the Islamic Republic in recent years, and Tehran was interested in Iraq being able to take a special position as soon as possible,” Sadr al-Hosseini said in a televised interview.

Sadr al-Hosseini added, “The summit began with the invitation of the officials of the Islamic Republic, and Iran announced a special cooperation in this regard, and in fact the first visit of the foreign minister of the new administration to this country was done for this purpose.”

On the absence of Syria as a neighboring and regional country while French President Emmanuel Macron invited to the summit, the expert said: “The important point was that Bashar al-Assad did not attend the meeting because he rightly expected the Arab community to give him the same seat he had in the past, and to hold the first meeting among the Arab states and then he will be present at the meeting.”

The analyst stated, “Of course, on the behalf of the government of Iraq, Faleh al-Fayaz went to Syria where he formally invited the Syrian president”.

He said: “But France, as a member of the United Nations Security Council, came to this meeting aiming at making arrangements for economic issues and putting emphasis on the necessity of restoring peace and stability in the region.”

“Of course, France’s unwarranted interference in some countries in the region and the Arab world in this regard has not been forgotten,” the senior expert highlighted.

Contrary to remarks by Sadr al-Hosseini, Iraq did not invite President Assad to the conference. Reportedly, Al-Hashd Al-Sha’bi (Popular Mobilization Force) favored inviting the Syrian leader.

Purpose of Baghdad Summit 

Sabah Zanganeh, another senior expert on regional issues, said that the main purpose of the Baghdad summit was not to resolve disputes, but rather to make grounds for regional cooperation.

In an interview with IRNA on Sunday, Sabah Zanganeh went on to say that that the level of delegations participating in the summit was higher than average because the number of countries, expected to participate, sent high-level representatives to the meeting.

He highlighted, “The presidents of Egypt and France, the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, the Emir of Qatar and the King of Jordan attended the summit as the heads of the state, and Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia also participated at the level of foreign ministers, which is an acceptable level for a regional summit.”

“It seems that the main purpose of the summit was not to resolve disputes, but rather to create the grounds for regional cooperation.”

Zanganeh elsewhere noted that “the Islamic Republic of Iran was also invited to the summit because of its proximity to Iraq and its great role in the stability of Iraq, because most of the invited countries were Arab states, and all of these countries, except the Islamic Republic, have good ties with the United States.”

The former representative of Iran in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation stated, “The President of France Emmanuel Macron represented the Western countries in the summit”, noting that politically, all the countries present in the summit has proximity with the U.S. and only Iran has no friendship with the U.S.

Referring to the change of administration in Iran and the appointment of Hossein Amir-Abdollahian as the foreign minister, Zanganeh said, “All countries will look to the Islamic Republic of Iran to guess the foreign policy of the new administration and based on that, adjust their foreign policy vis-à-vis Iran.”

The former diplomat considered regional conferences such as the Baghdad summit as a good opportunity for dialogue between Iran and the countries of the region.

“The Iranian foreign minister had good meetings with senior officials of the region, including Emirati, Kuwaiti and Iraqi officials, and indicated that the Islamic Republic’s principled policy of good neighborliness in the current administration would also be pursued.”

Elsewhere, Zanganeh referred to the absence of Syria at the summit, saying that Iraq may have refused to invite Syria to the meeting due to U.S. or Turkish pressure as Baghdad and Damascus face common threats and the presence of terrorist groups in their border areas.

The expert concluded, “These common concerns could be the basis for joint action between the two countries, and the Islamic Republic could help address these concerns, and the fact that Syria was not invited to the summit is a matter of regret.”

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Heading a political and parliamentarian delegation, the new Iranian foreign minister arrived in Baghdad on Saturday and was received by his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hossein. Upon his arrival, he visited the place where Iran’s top commander General Qassem Soleimani and his Iraqi comrade Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes were assassinated in an American drone strike in early 2020. After paying homage, Abdollahian vowed to legally pursue the matter.

In Baghdad, the top Iranian diplomat met with several dignitaries and participated in the Baghdad regional summit. Before the summit, he welcomed the Iraqi initiative but said that Syria should have been invited to the summit. Abdollahian said Iran embraces any regional initiative by Iraqi officials which gets regional countries on board.

“We believe that Syria, as one of Iraq’s important neighboring countries, should have been invited to this meeting, too” said the top diplomat before leaving Tehran for Baghdad.

“Of course, we are in contact and holding consultations with the Syrian leader on security and sustainable development in the region, and we will have direct consultations with Damascus on the Baghdad conference and the importance of the regional countries’ key role in whatever regional initiative,” he added.

During the summit, expressed regret that Syria was not attending the summit. “I would like to emphasize the role and support of regional nations in stabilizing and resorting security to Iraq including the friendly and brotherly country of the Syrian Arab Republic. I would like to express regret that Syria is not attending this summit,” Abdollahian told the Baghdad summit.

In his summit speech, the Iranian foreign minister underlined Iran’s policy of fostering regional cooperation. “This meeting, with regional countries in attendance, confirms the efforts of the Republic of Iraq in creating areas for cooperation and interaction among the countries of the region, and I hope that, through these meetings, we can make a prosperous, developed and free region,” he said, adding, “Today, Iraq is playing an important role in the region thanks to its constructive efforts and vision. The Islamic Republic of Iran was one of the first regional countries to recognize the new Iraq and to develop its political, economic and trade ties with Iraq by supporting the political processes in this country.”

Abdollahian noted, “The new Iraq, liberated from terrorism, today needs internal reconstruction and strengthening, and the expansion of cooperation in the region. The Islamic Republic of Iran, while supporting the stability, security, independence, territorial integrity, dignity, authority and promotion of Iraq’s regional and international status, declares its readiness to develop bilateral and regional cooperation. In recent years, trade between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Iraq has reached more than 12 billion dollars. The existence of eight official active border crossings between the two countries and the continuation of trade exchanges via these crossings, even despite the Coronavirus pandemic, indicate the economic entanglement of the two nations. In recent years, Iran has made a significant contribution to the development of Iraq’s economic and trade relations by exporting technical and engineering services, gas and electricity.”

He pointed out, “The rise of Daesh was one of the most important dangers faced by the region and left irreparable damage. Unfortunately, Iraq has suffered a lot from the emergence of terrorist groups. Were it not for the will of the Iraqi people, the support of the honorable religious authority and the convergence of the Iraqi people from all walks of life, it would not have been clear what would happen to Iraq and other regional countries and how deeply the region and the world would be endangered by terrorist threats.”

Underlining Iran’s aid to Iraq, Abdollahian said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran rushed to the aid of the friendly and brotherly country of Iraq in its fight against terrorism and did not withhold any assistance in this direction. The Iraqi people, parties, various groups and the Iraqi government have sacrificed thousands of lives for independence and the fight against terrorism. However, the US government committed a heinous crime and martyred two fighters of the anti-Takfiri and counterterrorism front, Martyr Sardar Soleimani and Martyr Abu Mohandi Al-Mohandes. Not only did the US not bring peace and security to the people of this region, but it’s the main cause of insecurity, and this is clearly visible in many countries in the region.”

He further said, “The fate of the governments and nations of this region are intertwined according to common religious and cultural, traditional, historical and geographical interests. The Islamic Republic of Iran has always emphasized that peace is possible only through dialogue and negotiation within the region and hopes that regional nations will agree that security will only be achieved through mutual trust, reliance on national capabilities, strengthening relations and good neighborliness as well as through the non-intervention of extra-regional governments. This common belief can pave the way for many joint political, economic and cultural efforts in the region and guarantee the grounds for all-round growth and development of regional countries in the shadow of common and lasting security and by utilizing their God-given wealth.”

The top Iranian diplomat added, “Our region has all the religious, cultural and civilizational characteristics as well as material and spiritual capacities for regional cooperation and convergence, but unfortunately, due to foreign interventions and the dominance of security-oriented ideas, it has many problems, including war, instability and insecurity.”

The Iranian foreign minister also expressed support for the Iraqi government and people, underlining that Iran welcomes Iraq’s role in promoting dialogue.

During his stay in Baghdad, Abdollahian met with a number of Iraqi leaders including President Barham Salih, Parliament Speaker Mohammad al-Halbousi, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, and Fuad Hussein. In his meeting with Salih, Abdollahian while conveying the Iranian president’s greetings and congratulating the Iraqi president on holding the Baghdad summit successfully, reiterated the Islamic Republic of Iran’s support for independence, national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq.

During the meeting, Salih, in turn, thanked the Iranian delegation for participating in the regional summit for cooperation and partnership. He said the Iranian foreign minister choosing Iraq for his first foreign visit is significant and hailed Iran for its support for Iraq.

The Iranian foreign minister and the Iraqi president also exchanged views on other topics, including regional developments, economic and trade cooperation among regional countries and the necessity for the expansion of economic ties between the two countries.

Abdollahian has also sat down with Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi as the top Iranian diplomat continued his meetings with high-ranking Baghdad officials on the sidelines of the Baghdad regional summit.

In the meeting, Amir Abdollahian congratulated the top parliamentarian on the successful holding of the summit, and once again extended Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf’s invitation to al-Halbousi, according to a statement by the Iranian foreign ministry.

Also, given the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary election, Amir Abdollahian highlighted Tehran’s support for an early legislative election as an arena for the manifestation of the Iraqi people’s will and demands.

The Iraqi parliament speaker, in turn, congratulated Amir Abdollahina on his appointment as Iran’s foreign minister, and announced the Iraqi parliament’s readiness to further enhance mutual relations.

Abdollahian and Iraqi Premier Mustafa al-Kadhimi have exchanged views on the latest developments regarding Tehran-Baghdad relations on all fronts.

During the talks, which were part of Amri Abdollahian’s meetings on the sidelines of a regional summit in Baghdad, the top Iranian diplomat conveyed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s greetings to al-Kadhimi and congratulated him on the successful holding of the Baghdad summit.

Amir Abdollahian said his presence at the event as Iran’s representative indicated Tehran’s firm resolve to support Iraq.

The two sides also discussed bilateral economic projects, which would benefit both sides, as well as Iranians’ pilgrimage to holy sites in Iraq during Arbaeen.

The Iraqi prime minister, in turn, described good-neighborliness as important and called Tehran-Baghdad relations strategic.

Al-Kadhimi also appreciated Iran’s constructive and lasting role in supporting Iraq as well as the presence of Iran’s high-ranking delegation in the Baghdad regional summit.

Abdollahian also met foreign leaders attending the Baghdad summit. Abdollahian sat down with his Kuwaiti counterpart Ahmed Nasser al-Mohammed Al-Sabah on the sidelines of the Baghdad summit.

In the meeting, the top Iranian diplomat thanked his opposite number for taking part, on behalf of the Kuwaiti Emir, in the swearing-in ceremony of new Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, and discussed with him issues of mutual interest.

In the meeting, Amir Abdollahian reviewed Iran-Kuwait relations in different political and economic areas, and highlighted the need to further enhance mutual ties and implement the agreements already reached between the two countries.

He added Iran stands ready to forge closer cooperation with Kuwait.

Amir Abdollahian expounded on the Raisi administration’s stance on good neighborliness as well as on the significance of cooperation between regional countries, voicing support for whatever move aimed at activating the Joint Iran-Kuwait Economic Cooperation Commission by utilizing innovative approaches.

The top Kuwaiti diplomat, in turn, conveyed the Kuwaiti Emir’s greetings to President Raisi.

He enumerated the necessities of the region from different perspectives with a view towards the future, and elaborated on his viewpoints with regards to the need for boosting mutual relations and regulating them within the framework of the joint cooperation commission.

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