The border police chief has discussed major security issues and measures to promote security along the shared border with Iraqi officials.
Brigadier General Qassem Rezaei met with Iraqi Interior Minister Khaled al-Obeidi on Monday in Baghdad. Al-Obeidi said, "The joint frontier between the two neighbors has the highest level of security."
He also promised Baghdad will take the steps necessary to guarantee the safety of Iranian pilgrims travelling to Iraqi during the holy month of Muharram, ISNA reported. Each year in the early days of the Islamic calendar month of Muharram, which started on Sunday this year, thousands of Iranians travel to Iraq in order to make a pilgrimage to the revered Shiite Muslims shrines in cities of Karbala and Najaf.
Rezaei also held talks with Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari on Sunday afternoon. The Iraqi top diplomat hailed friendly relations between Baghdad and Tehran and appreciated Iran's support in the fight against terrorism in Iraq.
Jaafari said, "The people and government of Iraq are grateful to Tehran for it support for Baghdad," IRNA quoted him as saying.
On Sunday, the border police chief also attended the fourth meeting of the Iranian and Iraqi border officials which was held in Baghdad. Rezaei said the two sides agreed to hold annual meetings with the presence of commanders of outposts in border towns to discuss major security issues.
The two sides were scheduled to sign a memorandum of understanding on border security cooperation on Monday.
Tehran and Baghdad have vowed to step up their cooperation in the campaign against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria following a visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi last week to Iran.
The two neighbors have a 1,400-kilometer joint border.
