Iran Supports Iraq’s Involvement in Regional Cooperation

In a meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Tehran on Wednesday, Rouhani said Tehran supports Baghdad's presence in regional interactions and believes that Iraq is an important party in the region's political and security interactions.

The president also said the brotherly and strategic bonds between the two neighbors ensure the security and stability of the whole region.

The Iranian president said, “Regarding their economic potential, Iran and Iraq can complement each other as two economies, and the volume of trade should reach $20 billion a year.”

For Iran, supporting stability, security, independence, territorial integrity, as well as dignity and authority of Iraq, and promoting its regional and international status are of special priority, Rouhani stressed.

He expressed Tehran’s opposition to any foreign interference in the international affairs of Iraq, describing it as detrimental to the whole region.

“The cowardly assassination of martyr Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was an example of the most shameful foreign intervention in Iraq's internal affairs, which was carried out in the form of a state terrorist operation and targeted the heroes of the victory over ISIS,” the president noted, according to the government’s website.

For his part, the Iraqi top diplomat described the Iranian president's visit to Iraq as historic and unforgettable, saying, “In addition to deepening bilateral relations, this visit creates more opportunities for cooperation and speeds up the implementation of agreements.”

“According to various agreements reached by the officials of the two countries, interactions and relations in various economic and trade fields are being pursued, and Iraq seeks to expand and fully develop relations with Iran,” he stated.

“Baghdad is persistently pursuing the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq and this is being done through negotiations and actions that have been taken,” Hussein stressed.