TEHRAN – Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, received Iraqi National Security Adviser Qassem al-Araji for a high-level meeting in the Iranian capital on Monday.

Ahmadian and al-Araji previously met in April in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where they assessed the progress of implementing a significant security agreement between Tehran and Baghdad.

After his engagement with the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, the Iraqi National Security Adviser met with Brigadier General Esmaeil Qaani, the Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force.

In another high-level meeting, al-Araji also met with Major General Hussein Salami, Commander of Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, to discuss the ongoing implementation of a joint security agreement focused on strengthening border control and preventing infiltration.

According to a statement from al-Araji’s media office, the discussion included a thorough review of the security pact, which seeks to bolster efforts in managing border security and countering cross-border movements.

Major General Salami expressed appreciation to both Iraq’s federal and regional governments for their commitment to the agreement’s success. He extended Iran’s gratitude to Iraq’s Supreme Committee, led by al-Araji, for its role in overseeing the agreement’s implementation.

On March 19, 2023, Iran and Iraq signed a security agreement in Baghdad to enhance coordination in safeguarding their shared border. The primary goal of the agreement is to address the activities of Kurdish factions based in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. These groups, which Iran has accused of aligning with Western or Israeli interests, have previously been the focus of Iranian military strikes.

The agreement outlines steps to prevent any armed groups from using Iraqi territory to launch attacks on Iran, including relocating these groups to more isolated camps within Iraqi Kurdistan.

Al-Araji, leading a prominent security delegation, arrived on Sunday and held discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi later that evening. 

During the meeting, the Iraqi official reiterated Baghdad’s firm stance against the use of its airspace for offensive actions against Iran. 

“Any aggression towards Iran’s security will elicit a strong response from both Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region,” al-Araji pledged to Iran’s leading diplomat. 

The parties also reviewed recent events in Gaza and Lebanon, underscoring the importance of strengthening cooperation among Muslim nations to swiftly end Israel's war crimes in these regions and to deliver humanitarian aid to those displaced.

On October 26, the warplanes of the Israeli regime breached Iraqi airspace, attempting to target Iranian military positions from within Iraqi territory. This incursion caused minor damage to some Iranian radar installations and tragically led to the martyrdom of four Army personnel and one civilian.