TEHRAN — Former Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has traveled to Iran to discuss regional and bilateral topics with top Iranian officials.

Al-Maliki, who currently leads Iraq’s State of Law Coalition, arrived in Tehran on Monday, when he met Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani.

In his meeting with Ghalibaf, the Iraqi politician thanked the Islamic Republic for its efforts to establish security and stability in Iraq and the region.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s stance has definitely caused the Resistance Front to fight off the conspiracies of the enemies of Islam and Muslims and emerge victorious,” Tabnak quoted Maliki as saying.

Ghalibaf, for his part, said if authorities in Muslim countries carry out their responsibilities, the enemies’ plots will definitely fail.

He also thanked the Iraqi parliament for a move earlier this month aimed at driving the U.S. out of Iraq.

In his meeting with Shamkhani, Maliki lauded Iran’s role in the fight against terrorism and the establishment security in the region.

He highlighted the need for collaboration between Iran and Iraq in important regional and international matters.

The Iraqi politician pointed to the recent normalization of ties between Israel on the one hand and Bahrain and the UAE on the other, saying threats against the Holy Quds and the existence of Palestine can be neutralized through joint efforts of Muslim countries.

In a tweet on Friday, Trump announced the normalization of ties between Bahrain and Israel, a month after the UAE and Israel reached an agreement to normalize their relations.

The development has sparked strong condemnations from people and NGOs across the Muslim world, especially among Arabs. They have described the move as an act of betrayal against the Palestinian people. 

Shamkhani said such measures will fail to help Tel Aviv reach its “Nile-to-Euphrates” plot.

The top security official said the Muslim world will never allow the treacherous plot, which is aimed at gaining the control of Muslim territories from the Nile to the Euphrates, to be realized.

Bahrain, UAE to regret normalizing ties with Israel: advisor

On Tuesday, Maliki met Ali Akbar Velayati, a top advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. During the meeting, Velayati said Bahrain and the UAE will regret normalizing their ties with the Zionist regime. 

He said Muslim countries voiced their opposition to the move which was planned by the U.S. government.

Velayati noted that the two Arab countries decided to reveal their relations with Israel due to the victories of the Resistance Movement in West Asia.

The Zionist regime won’t have a place among the nations of the world, whether or not regional countries change their position, he stated.

The advisor further said that the Islamic Republic will give a strong response to enemies if they threaten Iran’s national security.

MH/PA