Iranian, Iraqi Officials Discuss Bilateral Cooperation, Regional Situation
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and Mohammed Al-Halbousi, the speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, met on Thursday to discuss the current state of relations between the two countries.
During the meeting, Amirabdollahian praised the rapid and effective regional cooperation between Tehran and Baghdad and congratulated Al-Halbousi on his re-election as speaker of the Iraqi Parliament. He also expressed gratitude for the attendance of several Iraqi Parliament members at the Influential Women's Conference initiated by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s wife.
The Iranian top diplomat emphasized the importance of Iraq's development and progress for Iran and called for the expansion of bilateral cooperation, especially at the legislative level. He also expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the preparation of a comprehensive document for bilateral cooperation, which he referred to as a long-term roadmap for the two countries.
He viewed the development of transit cooperation, particularly the construction of the Shalamcheh-Basra and Kermanshah-Baghdad railway lines, as an effective step in further developing economic and trade exchanges.
Al-Halbousi, for his part, welcomed Amirabdollahian and his accompanying delegation and expressed his satisfaction with the Iranian foreign minister's important meetings with Iraqi officials. He also expressed hope for a meeting by the speaker of the Iranian Parliament in Baghdad, and considered the expansion of parliamentary relations to be a top priority for the Iraqi Parliament.
During the course of their discussions, the two sides also addressed the regional situation. In the meantime, a member of the foreign policy and national security commission of the Iranian Parliament conveyed the greetings of the Speaker of Iranian Parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and emphasized the Islamic Republic’s readiness to increase interaction between the two legislative bodies.
Heading a diplomatic delegation, Amirabdollahian has visited Baghdad at the invitation of his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein.
He has also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudan and Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid during his stay in Baghdad.
