TEHRAN — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has congratulated the newly-appointed Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, calling for all-out cooperation between the two neighboring nations.

“I wish that the relations between Iran and Iraq will be further promoted in the interests of the two nations and in different political, economic, and cultural fields,” Rouhani said in a message on Sunday, Fars reported.

The Iranian president also wished health and success for Mustafa al-Kadhimi and prosperity for the Iraqi nation.

On Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif congratulated Iraq for succeeding to form a new government.

“Congratulations to Prime Minister @MAKadhimi, his Cabinet, the Parliament and most importantly the people of Iraq for success in forming a new Government,” Zarif wrote in a tweet.

“Iran always stands with the Iraqi people and their choice of administration,” he added.

Iraj Masjedi, the Iranian ambassador to Iraq, met with the new Iraqi prime minister on Saturday.

“In the meeting with Mr. Kadhimi, bilateral cooperation, continuation of actions regarding the 1975 Algiers Agreement, banking cooperation, Khorramshahr-Basrah railway and visa of the two countries’ citizens were discussed,” Masjedi said in tweet.

The ambassador added that the Iraqi prime minister praised Iran’s efforts in the fight against Daesh.

Kadhimi was nominated in April, months after his predecessor Adel Abdel Mahdi stepped down – the first time a premier has resigned before the end of his term since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

The new government is set to hold early elections, but Kadhimi admitted it would face a litany of other challenges: navigating an economic crisis spurred by oil price crashes and the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

“I am honored and privileged to be charged with forming the government during the transitional period and having to deal with the current crises that only exacerbated since the overthrow of the authoritarian regime in 2003,” he told gathered MPs.

MH/PA