From Tehmina Mustapha
TEHRAN: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Sunday that Tehran and Baghdad have agreed to take new steps to expedite monetary cooperation.
Raisi made the remarks during a joint press conference with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi after a meeting in the Iranian capital.
Iran’s relations with Iraq are deep-rooted, the president said, adding that such a determination is required for further expansion of relations between the two neighboring countries.
President Raisi said that linking Shalamcheh railway to Basra railway was one of the main agendas of his meeting with al-Kadhimi.
He said that in line with the Iranian government’s foreign policy of expansion of relations with the neighboring countries, Tehran has now the best relations with Iraq.
The Iranian president, meantime, hailed Iraqi facilitation of Arbaeen pilgrimage rituals by lifting visa requirements for Iranian pilgrims.
A major part of the problems in the way of Iranian Arbaeen pilgrims over the past few years were due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, Raisi said, adding that the situation is much different today both in Iran and Iraq.
Underlining the need for resolving regional issues by regional countries, he said that the presence and intervention of alien counties in regional issues is a source of problem and not problem solving.
Earlier, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi was accorded official reception by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday.
The reception ceremony was held in Saadabad Palace in northern Tehran, with the national anthems of Iraq and Iran played at the ceremony.
Al-Kadhimi arrived in Tehran on Sunday heading a high-profile delegation. He was welcomed by Iran’s Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian.
President Raisi and Al-Kadhimi are scheduled to meet at a press conference to explain the results of the talks.
