TEHRAN — Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi officially welcomed Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to Saadabad Palace on Sunday.
During the welcoming ceremony, the national anthems of the two countries were first played, then the Iranian president and the Iraqi prime minister reviewed the guards of honor.
After speaking, Raisi and al-Kadhimi explained the results of their long meeting at a joint press conference.
During the press conference, Raisi pointed out that Tehran and Baghdad have agreed to take further steps to accelerate monetary cooperation.
“Iran’s relations with Iraq are deeply rooted,” the president said.
Raisi says Tehran now has the best relations with Iraq among neighbors.
He then noted that such determination is necessary for the future expansion of relations between the two neighboring countries.
President Raisi said that the connection of the Shalamcheh Railway to the Basra Railway was one of the main topics of his meeting with al-Kadhimi.
He said that in line with the Iranian government’s foreign policy of expanding relations with neighbors, Tehran now has the best relations with Iraq among its neighbors.
For his part, al-Kadhimi hailed the ties between Tehran and Baghdad, calling them “very deep”.
The Prime Minister continued, “Today we have agreed to strengthen economic relations between the two countries.”
Continued war in Yemen increases suffering
Elsewhere in the presser, Raisi insisted on Iran and Iraq’s shared vision for ending the war in Yemen.
“We stressed the need to find a solution to the crisis in Yemen and the continuation of the truce,” the president stressed, adding: “The continuation of the war in Yemen will only increase the suffering of the people, and we call for the launch of a Yemeni truce. -Yemeni dialogue.
In this regard, the Iraqi Prime Minister also expressed Baghdad’s support for a ceasefire in Yemen.
Normalization will not bring security to the Israeli regime
In another part of the press conference, Raisi referred to the so-called normalization of some Arab states with the Israeli regime, stressing: “The steps taken by the Zionist regime to normalize its relations with some countries in the region will only bring no safety on this diet at all.
Tehran and Baghdad reiterate the need to support peace in the region
Elsewhere in the briefing, the two leaders reiterated that Iran and Iraq emphasize the need to support peace and stability in the region through joint efforts between their leaders.
“Our effort is to guarantee the interests of the two nations of Iran and Iraq,” al-Kadhimi noted.
The Iranian also criticized the concept of “regional NATO”, saying: “Foreign intervention will not solve the problems in the region, but rather increase them”.
President Raisi’s comments come days after the Jordanian monarch announced he would support the formation of a military alliance in the Middle East similar to US-led NATO.
Such a grouping could work with like-minded countries, but the military alliance’s mission statement should be clear from the start, King Abdullah II told CNBC News.
“I would like to see more countries in the region get into this mix. I would be one of the first people to support a NATO in the Middle East,” Abdullah said. “The mission statement should be very, very clear. Otherwise, it confuses everyone.
Abdullah’s comments come as US President Joe Biden prepares to visit West Asia as part of efforts to normalize ties between Arab countries in the region and Israel, in addition to strengthening Washington’s ties with its regional allies.
During the interview with CNBC, Abdullah also highlighted Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine and said the offensive has already helped unite countries in the Middle East.
“In addition to security and military cooperation, a closer alliance in the Middle East could help address the challenges arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, particularly with regard to energy prices. and raw materials,” the Jordanian king said, according to Press TV.
“We all get together and say ‘how can we help each other?’ which I think is very unusual for the region,” he added. “If I’m fine and you’re not, I’ll end up paying the price. I hope what you see in 2022 is this new vibe, I guess, in the region to say, ‘how can we connect with each other and work with each other?’
