TEHRAN- Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf held extensive talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Wednesday morning.

“During the meeting, they discussed the enhancement of cooperation between the two countries in various fields. They also discussed the overall bilateral and regional developments and their effects on Iraq and Iran,” according to a statement published by the Iraqi prime minister’s media office on Wednesday morning.

Heading a big politico-economic delegation, the prime minister visited Tehran on Tuesday and Wednesday. He met several high-ranking Iranian officials including Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani and Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani.

“The two sides discussed bilateral efforts to overcome the health and economic effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, and the challenges posed by the current economic crisis, as well as bilateral efforts to overcome them in a way that serves the interests of the Iraqi and Iranian people,” according to the same statement. 

The meeting between Ghalibaf and al-Kadhimi was held at the end of the Iraqi prime minister’s visit to Iran. After the meeting, which was held at the Iranian parliament, al-Kadhimi left Tehran for Baghdad. 

President Rouhani has called the visit a “turning point” in Iran-Iraq ties.

Speaking at a joint press conference with al-Kadhimi, Rouhani said that he was confident that the visit would be a turning point in developing Iran-Iraq relations as two friendly and brotherly countries.

“We are determined to increase the volume of trade between the two countries to $20 billion,” the presidential website quoted Rouhani as saying.