Alwaght- Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi visited neighboring Iran on Sunday to discuss bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments with Iranian officials.
Kadhimi, heading a high-ranking political and economic delegation, landed in the Iranian capital on Sunday morning and was received by Iranian Energy Minister and head of the Iran-Iraq Joint Commission Ali-Akbar Mehrabian.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi officially welcomed the Iraqi prime minister and his entourage at Tehran International Conference Center shortly afterwards.
During the official welcoming ceremony, national anthems of the two countries were played and President Raeisi and Prime Minister Kadhimi observed a guard of honor.
The two sides are expected to explore avenues for further development of bilateral cooperation in various political, economic and cultural spheres, and exchange views on the most pressing regional and international issues.
Kadhimi’s visit to Tehran is his first since Raeisi was sworn in as Iran’s new president.
Last month, Raeisi told his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih that Iran wants a powerful and strong Iraq and is determined to further improve relations with Baghdad.
The Iranian president added that every step leading to Iraq’s strength and preventing foreign interference would contribute to the Arab country’s progress.
“In line with maintaining Iraq’s territorial integrity, security and stability, Iran has not hesitated to donate the blood of its dearest sons, such as Martyr General Qassem Soleimani,” Raeisi said.
US terrorists assassinated General Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy head of Iraq’s Hashd al-Sha’abi, and their companions by targeting their vehicle outside the Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020.
The cowardly act of terror was carried out under the direction of former US president Donald Trump, with the Pentagon taking responsibility for the strike.
For his part, Salih said the deep and cordial relations between the two nations were not harmed even under a long war imposed by former dictator Saddam Hussein and noted that the two countries still enjoy numerous capacities for the expansion of ties despite great progress made in this regard.
