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We learned that on Tuesday and before Iraqi Prime Minister Seyed Mustafa Al Kadhimi’s visit to Washington, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein was in Washington to prepare the climate for Al-Kadhimi’s visit which was aimed at renewal of political and economic relations with the U.S., and to avoid any misunderstanding, Hussein underlined that his country’s relation with Iran is based on common interests like cultural, political and economic interests.

IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK

Hussein who was in Washington for holding the second round of talks between Iraq and the U.S., in a joint press conference with his American counterpart Mike Pompeo said, “Iraq sees the United States of America as his strong and will continue to protect that alliance.”

The news website “Baghdad Today” in its report says Hussein has considered Iraq’s foreign policy based on national interests and he has said, “Iraq’s relation with Iran is based on the common interests like cultural, political and economic interests.”

After this presser, Pompeo on Wednesday met Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi. After this meeting, Pompeo in his twitter account wrote, “Had a productive meeting with Prime Minister @MAKadhimi today to reaffirm our partnership and discuss the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Dialogue. The U.S. will continue to work with Iraq on ways to address their economic challenges in light of COVID-19 and decline in oil prices.”

In this visit, a high-ranking political and economic delegation, comprised of ministers of foreign affairs, oil, electricity defense, migration, accompanying the Iraqi Prime Minister. These meetings were being held while Iraqi media published different analyses on the meetings.

Decision on revival of ties between the U.S. and Iraq happens while at the top of all issues and Iraq’s priorities is talks on legal case of ending foreign forces’ presence especially American troops in Iraq.

Meanwhile Iraqi newspaper Al Sabaah in an article two days before al-Khadhimi’s visit to Washington quoted an Iraqi official as saying, “One of the main topics of the strategic talks between Iraq and the U.S. is Iraq’s request for the U.S. government’s military support from Baghdad in war with Daesh forces and undertaking for protecting the active foreign installations in the country.” Meanwhile due to the outbreak of Coronavirus and its danger and fragility of the current condition in Iraq, the country was eager to take advantage of the U.S. health support in the future.

Iraq today is totally different from the one in Saddam Hussein’s era. High-ranking officials of Iraq cannot both have the law for expulsion of the American troops in their pockets and at the same time give their hearts to the U.S. Disclosure of this double-standard approach undoubtedly vexes Iraqi people.

The pleasant color of Iraq’s independence which is covered with the blood of Martyr Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis demands transparency in Iraq’s foreign policy although maneuver of the media backing the U.S. influence in Iraq have made the climate dusty as they are trying to distract the public attention to the insignificant and marginal issues by publishing rumors and news aimed at instigating the infiltrated groups who are like jokers. But such actions cannot stop Iraqi people from not showing interest to the process and contents of the talks as they do not want once again to hand over the fate of Iraq to the groups and currents which are against the national interests of Iraqi people.

Iraqi government even with prevarication to the Americans will lose the color of transparency and it may soon be accused of hypocrisy and charges and it may make its political life fragile. Experience has shown that the U.S. has not been a good friend to any country in the region especially in Iraq.  Still clips of the savage behaviors of the U.S. troops with Iraqi people go viral. Without getting a lesson from this disgraceful background of the Americans’ behaviors towards Iraqis, Iraq’s foreign policy will face confusion.

 By: Hamid Reza Naghashian

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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.

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Iran’s Ambassador to Baghdad Iraj Masjedi held a meeting with the incoming prime minister of Iraq on Saturday.

The envoy said he has discussed a range of issues with Kadhimi, including the mutual cooperation between the two neighbors, commitment to the 1975 Algiers Agreement, banking interaction, the railroad connecting Iran’s Khorramshahr to Iraq’s Basra, and the visa arrangements.

The new Iraqi premier has pledged cooperation with Iran and has also praised the Islamic Republic for its efforts in the fight against the ISIL terrorist group, Masjedi said.

Meanwhile, Al Forat News has reported more details of the meeting between the Iraqi PM and the Iranian envoy, saying Kadhimi has highlighted Iraq’s willingness to establish perfect ties with Iran and all neighboring states to maintain regional security and stability.

Iraq is not a field for the acts of terrorism and aggression against any country or a place for payoffs, the Iraqi PM has said in the meeting.

Iraq Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi took office after the Iraqi parliament approved a new government on Wednesday following nearly six months of political wrangling.

The parliament approved 15 ministers out of a prospective 22-seat cabinet in a vote of confidence. Five candidates were rejected while voting on two ministers was postponed, leaving seven ministries still empty, including the key oil and foreign affairs positions.

Two previous nominees for the role of the prime minister – Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi and Adnan al-Zurfi – had failed to secure enough support among cabinet ministers.

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