Tehran Supports Security, Stability in Iraq

A senior Iranian official said the Islamic Republic supports promotion of security and stability in Iraq, welcoming the expansion of relations between the two neighboring countries. 
Kamal Kharrazi, the head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, made the remarks in a meeting with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid in Baghdad on Monday.
He hailed the Iraqi president’s contribution to the development of relations between Tehran and Baghdad and said both sides are determined to expand ties, Press TV reported.
Kharrazi said Iraq connects Tehran to Arab countries and lauded Baghdad’s efforts to bring the views of Iran and Saudi Arabia closer to each other.
Iraq hosted several rounds of negotiations between Iran and Saudi Arabia over the past two years. The two countries’ ties were severed in 2016 after the kingdom executed top Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, sparking an attack on its Tehran embassy by angry protesters.
Tehran and Riyadh clinched a reconciliation deal and finally restored ties in March after several days of intensive negotiations hosted by Beijing.
The Iraqi president, for his part, stressed the importance of bolstering his country’s ties with Iran.
Rashid underlined the need for development of Iraqi provinces and cities in the light of enhanced stability and security.
He added that social, geographical, historical and religious commonalities as well as economic interests are connecting the two neighboring countries.
Leading a high-ranking delegation, the Iraqi president visited Tehran late in June in response to an official invitation by his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi.
Speaking in a meeting between high-ranking delegations of Iran and Iraq, Raisi said at the time enemies are not pleased with the improvement of mutual relations but enhanced ties will serve the interests of the two nations and the entire region.