TEHRAN -- Iran has always supported efforts to promote security and stability in Iraq, President Mahmud Ahmadinejad told Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a telephone conversation on Wednesday.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that every (proposed) solution to Iraq’s problems should prioritize the safeguarding of the Iraqi people’s interests and strengthen the elected government,” Ahmadinejad said.

Erdogan emphasized the necessity for further consultation between regional countries, especially Iran and Turkey, to help establish peace and security in Iraq.