Speaking at a meeting of the high-ranking delegations of Iran and Iraq, held in Tehran on Thursday, President Pezeshkian said Tehran seeks to elevate relations with Baghdad to the highest possible level, citing the two countries' deep historical, cultural and religious ties.
He stressed the need to accelerate the implementation of bilateral agreements through regular meetings of joint commissions and called for the drafting of a comprehensive strategic cooperation plan to serve as a long-term roadmap for relations.
Pezeshkian highlighted the Arbaeen pilgrimage as a symbol of the close bonds between the two nations and thanked the Iraqi government and people for hosting millions of Iranian pilgrims each year. He also praised the large turnout of Iraqis at the funeral ceremonies for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, describing it as another sign of the enduring ties between the two peoples.
The Iranian president underlined the importance of expanding rail and road links between the neighboring countries, saying Iran is developing transportation infrastructure with its neighbors and hopes Iraq will be integrated into the regional network to promote transit, investment, trade and port development.
Pezeshkian also described security as a key pillar of bilateral cooperation, saying the security of Iran and Iraq is closely intertwined. He called for the full implementation of the bilateral security agreement, particularly measures to clear border areas of anti-Iran terrorist groups, while emphasizing that Tehran prefers to resolve the issue through cooperation and peaceful mechanisms.
For his part, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi described Iran as a key partner in Iraq's foreign policy and called deeper bilateral cooperation a strategic necessity.
He reiterated that Iraq would not allow any part of its territory to be used to threaten Iran's security and said Baghdad remains committed to security cooperation with Tehran.
Al-Zaidi also praised Iran's role in helping Iraq defeat the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group, saying the Iraqi people would never forget Tehran's practical support in the fight against terrorism.
The Iraqi premier added that the participation of Iraq's economic ministers in the Tehran visit reflected Baghdad's determination to expand cooperation with Iran in the economic, scientific, academic, healthcare and other fields of mutual interest.