News / Politics

Enhanced Iran-Iraq ties beneficial to both nations, entire region: President Raeisi

Saturday, 29 April 2023 2:57 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 29 April 2023 3:11 PM ]

Iran's President Ebrahim Raeisi (6-R) and his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Latif Rashid (7-L) preside over a meeting between the two countries' high-ranking delegations in Tehran on April 29, 2023. (Photo by president.ir)

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi says enemies are not pleased with the improvement of relations between Iran and Iraq, stressing that enhanced mutual ties will serve the interests of the two nations and the entire region.

"Iran and Iraq will expand their interactions in proportion with the interests of the two countries in the region. Strengthening and consolidating relations between Tehran and Baghdad will secure the interests of the two nations and will also benefit the region," Raeisi said in a meeting in Tehran on Saturday with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid as they chair a meeting between high-ranking delegations of the two countries.

Raeisi described the visit by his Iraqi counterpart to Tehran as a major step in improving relations and said both sides are implementing agreements, "but nevertheless there are many capacities to boost relations in the political, economic and cultural fields."

The Iranian chief executive stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation in the economic, energy, transit, transportation, trade exchanges and security sectors and urged both Tehran and Baghdad to accelerate the implementation of the existing agreements.

The Iraqi president, for his part, said Baghdad is keen to expand relations with Tehran and said the two sides enjoy diverse capacities to develop economic, political, cultural cooperation and trade exchanges.

Leading a high-ranking delegation, Rashid arrived in Tehran on Saturday in his first visit to the neighboring nation since taking office last year.

The visit by Rashid, who was elected as the head of the Iraqi government in October 2022, comes in response to an official invitation by President Raeisi.