TEHRAN – Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met with Iranian President Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian during his one-day visit to Tehran that took place on Thursday.

During the meeting with the Iraqi foreign minister, Ayatollah Raisi underlined that supporting Iraq’s stability and security is a top priority for Iran, adding that the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq is a result of the Iraqi people’s resistance. 

Speaking in the meeting with Hussein on Thursday, Ayatollah Raisi expressed satisfaction with the peaceful and secure parliamentary elections in Iraq and said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported the formation of a strong parliament and government in Iraq.”

The president added, “Protest against elections can occur in any democratic system, and it is important that both the protests and their handling are carried out in legal processes.”

Emphasizing that Iran considers any insecurity in Iraq as insecurity as its own, Ayatollah Raisi said, “Creating insecurity and threatening stability in Iraq is not acceptable and the Islamic Republic of Iran considers supporting stability in Iraq and the authority of the Iraqi government as a top policy.”

Referring to the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country, the president said, “This success is due to the resistance of the Iraqi people and officials.”

Thanking the Iraqi government for its efforts to repatriate Iran's ambassador from Yemen, the president said, “The relationship between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq is based on friendship and deep and wide religious, doctrinal, cultural and historical commonalities and is special in bilateral, regional and international relations.”

In this meeting, Hussein appreciated the policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in resolutely supporting the stability and security of Iraq, and said, “The support of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the sovereignty and political stability of Iraq has always been appreciated by the Iraqi government and people.”

The Iraqi foreign minister also met with his Iranian counterpart in Tehran. Amir Abdollahian hosted his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein and his entourage including Qassim al-Araji, the Iraqi government's national security adviser in Tehran.

The two sides discussed various issues of mutual interest at the bilateral, regional and international levels.

In this meeting, Amir Abdollahian congratulated the successful holding of the Iraqi parliamentary elections and emphasized Iran’s support for the democratic process in Iraq.

He referred to Tehran's determination to fully expand contacts and interactions at the government, private and popular levels and announced Iran's readiness to waive visas for the travel of citizens of the two countries, the Iranian foreign minister said. 

Amir Abdollahian also expressed hope that with the visit of Iran’s minister of transport and urban development to Iraq next week, the two sides will see the finalization of preparations for implementing the Shalamcheh-Basra railway project.

Amir Abdollahian stressed that many trade and economic capacities of both sides have not been used, and with the implementation of previously agreed projects and the greater connection between the economies of Iran and Iraq, there will be a significant enhancement of relations in a short period of time.

In the meeting, Amir Abdollahian also referred to the second anniversary of the martyrdom of General Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis. He expressed hope that with the formation of a joint judicial committee, there will be more serious efforts to go after the perpetrators and orchestrators of this terrorist crime and bring them to justice.

In this regard, the Iranian foreign minister welcomed the decision of the parliament, government and people of Iraq to kick out U.S. troops from their country. Amir Abdollahian said the Iraqi army, government and people are at such a level of capability and maturity that they are fully able to preserve their sovereignty and security. Fuad Hussein also thanked Iran for all its support and sympathetic position and announced Iraq's readiness to expand bilateral relations, especially in trade and economic fields.

He referred to the joint projects between Iran and Iraq, saying today is a good opportunity for bilateral relations to see a leap in various areas.

The Iraqi foreign minister also presented a report on the latest security situation in his country and about the withdrawal of the U.S. from Iraq.

The two foreign ministers also discussed other issues, including Afghanistan, the Vienna talks and the fight against terrorism and Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

It should be pointed out that during the meeting, the Iranian foreign minister praised Baghdad's initiative to host talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as its admirable efforts to return to Hassan Irlu, the ambassador of the Islamic Republic to Yemen, who died of the Covid-19 complications just a day after his arrival in Tehran.

In a statement, the Iraqi foreign ministry also said during Hussien’s visit to Tehran various issues related to bilateral relations, developments in the regional security situation, and the latest developments in the framework of the nuclear negotiations in Vienna were discussed.