Raisi pointed out that “any destabilization of Iraq’s security is considered a destabilization of Iran’s security,” pointing out that “negotiations between the countries of the region lead to an improvement in their security.”
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid discussed, on Saturday, with his Iranian counterpart, Ibrahim Raisi, bilateral relations in Tehran.
Rashid arrived in Tehran on Saturday morning, on an official visit, accompanied by a high-ranking government delegation, according to the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).
And the agency stated that Rashid, “immediately upon his arrival at the historic Saadabad palaces group north of Tehran, held joint talks with the Iranian president.”
Rashid said during a press conference with his Iranian counterpart: “We have common relations with Iran, and our visit to Tehran comes to confirm the relations between the two countries.”
He added, “Relations between Iraq and Iran are firm, coherent, and unchangeable.”
And Rashid added: “I extend my congratulations for the development in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia.”
The Iraqi president stressed, “the need for Iran to take into account Iraq’s water share.”
Iraq has been suffering for years from a continuous decline in water resources, and the water scarcity crisis has also been exacerbated by the low amounts of rain in the country over the past years.
This is the first visit of the Iraqi president to Tehran since his election as president of Iraq in October 2022.
Common interests
In turn, Raisi said, during the joint conference: “Our relations with Iraq are good, and we seek to reach higher levels of trade exchange.”
He added, “We have common interests with Iraq,” noting that “the level of trade exchange with Iraq amounts to more than 10 billion euros.”
Raisi pointed out that “any destabilization of Iraq’s security is considered a destabilization of Iran’s security,” pointing out that “negotiations between the countries of the region lead to an improvement in its security.”
On March 10, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced the resumption of their diplomatic relations and the reopening of embassies within two months, following Chinese-sponsored talks in Beijing, according to a joint statement by the three countries.
In January 2016, Saudi Arabia severed its relations with Iran, following attacks on the Riyadh embassy in Tehran and its consulate in the city of Mashhad (east), in protest against the kingdom’s execution of the Saudi Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, on charges including “terrorism.”
Rashid’s visit to Tehran comes in response to a previous official invitation from Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, and includes meetings with senior Iranian officials.
