TEHRAN - Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maleki have called for the establishment of a joint committee to ensure that the agreements between Tehran and Baghdad are implemented.

Larijani and Maleki made the remarks during a meeting in Baghdad late on Thursday.
Formulating a legal regime for the use of the water of the border rivers would be one of the tasks of the committee.
Larijani stated that Iran supports the efforts to establish democracy in Iraq and added that practical steps should be taken to expand ties between Tehran and Baghdad.
Maleki expressed his gratitude to the Islamic Republic of Iran for it positions on the campaign against terrorism and other regional issues.
The two sides also agreed to establish a committee to examine ways to prevent severe dust storms like the ones that spread to Iran over the past year.
In addition, Larijani and Maleki stated that all the members of the terrorist group Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) should be expelled from Iraq.
Talabani calls for expansion of ties
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani called for the expansion of economic and political relations between Iran and Iraq during a separate meeting with Larijani on Friday.
The expansion of parliamentary ties between Iran and Iraq will prepare the ground for boosting ties in other areas, he added.
Larijani stated that the two countries should have regular consultations on technical, political, and economic issues.
Iraqis should be wary of plots
The Iranian Majlis speaker also held a meeting with former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi on Friday and formally invited him to visit Iran.
Larijani told Allawi that Iraqis should be wary about the plots of foreigners.
The two officials also highlighted the need to utilize the two countries’ full potential to strengthen bilateral ties.
Iraqi committee to visit Iran to discuss dust storm issue
In a meeting between Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi and the Iranian Majlis speaker, the two sides agreed that an Iraqi committee should visit Iran to study the issue of dust storms.
In July 2009, an unprecedented dust storm enveloped more than half of Iran, affecting the provinces of Qazvin, Kermanshah, Hamedan, Qom, Isfahan, Fars, Markazi, Khuzestan, and Tehran.
Many ponds which were once located in the arid and desert regions stretching from the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea to Iran have gone dry over the years. This ongoing desertification process has greatly increased the number of dust storms in the region.
Experts say heavy dust storms descend on Iran from the deserts and dried-up ponds of Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Iran has a strategic view of Iraq
Larijani stated that Iran’s outlook toward Iraq is strategic not tactical.
However, some countries are pursuing their own interests in Iraq and have hatched various plots there, he added.
“(But) we will not become involved in such dirty games, and our outlook toward relations with Iraq is not tactical but is strategic,” he said.
Larijani also stated that certain countries are worried about the fact that Iran and Iraq play strategic roles in the region and they are devising plots to sabotage their relations.