TEHRAN — Speaking in a televised interview on Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said he “has very good” relations with Iran’s President-elect, Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, stating that he might travel at “the right time”.

“We have a long and historic neighborly relationship with Iran, and focusing on the commonalities and interests of the two countries is certainly in the interest of both Iran and Iraq,” he said.

Al Kadhimi noted that the Iraqi government's policy is to establish good relations with everyone, and “our relations with Iranian President-elect Ebrahim Raisi are very good.”

“Raisi traveled to Iraq some time ago and we had a very good meeting and discussed our approaches to the future of Iran-Iraq relations,” he added. 

The Iraqi prime minister stressed that he wants to maintain and expand these good relations with Raisi.

Al-Kadhimi said, "The president-elect of Iran invited us to travel to Tehran and this trip will take place at the right time."

After the June 18 presidential election in Iran, the Iraqi prime minister telephoned Raisi to congratulate him for winning the presidential polls in Iran. 

At the phone call the two sides assessed the relationship between Iraq and Iraq and discussed ways to develop it.

According to a tweet from the prime minister’s office, al-Kadhimi expressed his hopes for closer cooperation on economic and security matters “in addition to the fight against terrorism, and in a way that boosts the security and stability of the two countries and the region”.

During the call the Iranian president-elect invited al-Kadhimi to visit Iran.

Iraqi President Barham Salih also extended his “sincere congratulations and blessings” on Raisi’s election.

“We in Iraq look forward to strengthening our solid relations with our neighbor Iran and its people,” Salih said in a statement.

In his Thursday remarks, the Iraqi prime minister said that some people want to destroy Iraq's relations with other countries. 

These relations are not personal, he said, adding rather they are in the interests of Iraq, and that his country has an important role in the stability of the region.

SA/PA