TEHRAN – Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri says the Islamic Republic has provided Iraq with necessary defense equipment on Baghdad’s request.

“In the past, we’ve had cooperation in the field of defense and equipment and we’ve signed and implemented contracts in this regard,” General Bagheri said on Sunday in a meeting with Iraqi Minister of Defense Juma Inad in Tehran.

Iran’s Defense Ministry has provided Iraq with the military products it needed, he said.

“The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Iraq as two neighboring and brotherly countries have had long-term relations and interests which were thoroughly discussed in the recent trips,” Bagheri added.

Heading a high-ranking delegation of Iraqi military commanders, Inad Saadoun visited Tehran at the formal invitation of the Iranian defense minister.

On Saturday, he met his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Amir Hatami. During the meeting, Hatami said Iraq now enjoys better security than in the past, adding that Iran will continue to support the political process and the stability and security of Iraq and its territorial integrity.

According to the Iranian defense minister, good cooperation has been established between Iran and Iraq during the fight against terrorism, and Iran considers it a good model.

“We consider the development of Iraq as a prerequisite for establishing stability and security in that country, and we are ready to participate in the reconstruction and development of Iraq,” Hatami was quoted by Fars news agency as saying on Saturday.

Hatami also pointed out that Iran believes that the countries of the region must ensure and manage the security of the region themselves, and that stability and peace will not be possible as long as the trans-regional forces are present and involved.

He also took a jab at some regional countries that have recently established diplomatic relations with Israel, saying Iran views normalization deals between Israel and Arab countries as “a betrayal of all Muslim nations.”

MH/PA