Iraqi President Visits Iran, Meets Supreme Leader

In a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart, the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi welcomed President Rashid, embracing the presence of an Iraqi high-ranking delegation in Tehran.

President Raisi said: “Good negotiations have been held between the two sides and the discussions were on various issues. The two states have established a memorandum of understanding on security collaborations; so, the slightest insecurity in Iraq is considered Iran’s insecurity. The security of Iraq is of great importance for the Islamic Republic. The security MoU will help bolster security situation in the region.”

Touching upon the military presence of the United States in the West Asia region, President Raisi said: “As much as we see negotiations among the regional countries useful, we do not view the presence of foreign military forces in the region as beneficial. We consider the American forces’ presence as disturbing to the security of this region.”

In the press conference, the Iraqi president pointed to historical, geographic and ethnical commonalities between the two countries, adding that the relationship between the two nations is robust and unalterable. The ties between the two states will become stronger in the future as well. We should progress the relationship in all arenas and try to remove the obstacles to this end.

After the press conference, the Iraqi chief executive held talks with Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei. In the meeting with the President of Iraq and his entourages, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution underscored that the progress, prosperity, independence and advancement of Iraq is of great importance for the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Supreme Leader also said that the expansion of mutual collaborations and the implementation of bilateral agreements would be beneficial for both countries.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also stressed that the United States is not friend of Iraq, adding: The Americans are not friends with anyone and they are not even loyal to their European allies. Even the presence of a single American in Iraq is too much.

Abdul Latif Rashid, for his part, expressed his great pleasure for meeting with the leader of the Islamic Revolution, saying: “Our relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran is unremitting and sturdy, which includes different dimensions and arenas.”

Touching on his meetings and negotiations with the Iranian authorities, President Rashid noted: “Iraq makes all-out efforts in a bid to deepen mutual ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran and paves the way for the implementation of certain remaining projects, which should be pursued by the two countries.”

The Iraqi president further lauded the assistance and support made by the Iranian government and people in Iraq’s different times in particular in their combat against terrorism.

It is also worth mentioning that the Iraqi president, who was elected as the head of government of the Arab nation in October of the last year, visited Tehran for the first time since his tenure with the aim of meeting and consulting with the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Read more: Abdul Latif Rashid elected as the new Iraq President