Iran, Iraq Inseparable: Speaker Larijani
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani decried the US plots to create division between Iran and Iraq, saying the American policies have backfired as the two neighbors enjoy deep-rooted ties.
In a meeting with Head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council Faiq Zaidan in Tehran on Tuesday, Larijani said the US has been always seeking to foment division between the Iranian and Iraqi nations.
However, he added, such divisive US policies have backfired and resulted in the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, who eventually became a predicament for Washington.
The Iranian and Iraqi nations enjoy deep-rooted and historical relations, Larijani added.
The Parliament speaker further denounced the “dangerous” attempts at normalizing relations between the Islamic nations and Israel, saying Iraq can play a significant role in foiling such plots.
He finally stressed the need for the removal of the legal or judicial obstacles, if any, in the way of promoting cooperation between Iran and Iraq.
For his part, the visiting Iraqi judge praised Iran for helping his country in the war against Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group, noting that the strong and age-old ties between Iraq and Iran dictate that Baghdad should stand against the enemies of Tehran.
Describing normalization of ties with Israel as Iraq’s “red line” and a “political suicide”, Zaidan said his country tries to convince Saudi Arabia and the other regional states to correct their mistake of reaching out to the Zionist regime.
Back in March, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani travelled to Iraq at the official invitation of the Iraqi government. It was Rouhani’s first official visit to the Arab country during his tenure.
In a joint statement after the landmark visit, Iran and Iraq said they discussed regional issues, common challenges, fight against terrorism and ways to promote security, stability and economic cooperation in the region in line with the interests of its nations.
According to the statement, the two sides emphasized the need for the establishment of security in the Middle East as a contributing factor to the region’s economic growth and development.
The two sides said they held important talks in a cordial and constructive atmosphere and expressed their willingness to enhance relations in various spheres, including politics, security, economy, healthcare, trade, culture, science and technology.
