Alwaght- Iran and Iraq have signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance defense and military ties in various sectors.
The agreement was signed on Sunday by Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan and his visiting Iraqi counterpart, Erfan Mahmoud al-Hayali.
According to the MoU, the two neighboring countries will strengthen cooperation, exchange notes in the war on terrorism and extremism, improve border security, and provide the two countries' military forces with training, logistical, technical and military support.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Brigadier General Dehqan said the cooperation between the two countries resulted in great achievements during the war on the ISIS terrorist group which was committing atrocities in Iraq.
He added that more serious cooperation is necessary to prevent the emergence of terrorist groups in Iraq and across the region.
“The signed MoU will set a framework for future cooperation and we hope that it would prepare the ground for serious and effective measures [in this regard],” Iran’s Defense Minister underlined.
The Iraqi defense minister, for his part, said the agreement was signed in line with the two countries’ common interests.
Al-Hiyali arrived in Tehran on Saturday at the official invitation of the Iranian defense minister.
Partitioning to escalate instability in Iraq
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Chief Admiral Ali Shamkhani, in a meeting with Iraqi Defense Minister al-Hayali, said that partitioning trends can inflame enemies’ greed and escalate insecurity and instability in the future of Iraq.
Shamkhani made the remarks on Sunday adding that Iraq’s territorial integrity guarantees stability and security and safeguards the interests of all Iraqi tribes and communities.
He was referring to plans in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region to hold a referendum on independence.
Masoud Barzani, the president of the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), has announced that the northern territory will hold the independence referendum on September 25.
Shamkhani underlined the Islamic Republic’s continued support for Iraq in its efforts to restore security and peace to the Arab country.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s government and nation will be supportive of Iraq’s armed forces as in the past and will cooperate (with Iraq) in all required fields, including reconstruction and development of cities, in line (with Iraqis’ efforts) to restore full security and peace to the country and totally remove terrorist threats,” Shamkhani said.
He also lauded Iraq for its victories against ISIS terrorists, saying that while US officials had suggested it would take seven years to force ISIS out of Iraq, the Arab country’s people, army and popular forces, backed by religious leadership, managed to recapture occupied areas from the terrorist group in a short time.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi holds an Iraqi flag as he declares victory over ISIS in Mosul on July 10.
Earlier this month, Iraqi forces liberated the northern city of Mosul, the last major ISIS stronghold in the country, after a seven-month intensive battle.
ISIS terrorists had seized Mosul when they made swift advances in northern and western Iraq over the summer of 2014, after capturing swaths of northern Syria.
Iraqi minister thanks Iran for role in defeating ISIS
The Iraqi defense minister, for his part, thanked Iran for supporting Iraq in the fight against terrorism, saying it played “a decisive role” in the Arab country’s triumph over ISIS.
He further highlighted the common objectives and interests shared by the two countries and called for boosting bilateral cooperation in various fields.
