Iraqi Premier: Baghdad’s Peace, Stability Owed to Tehran’s Helps

Abdul-Mahdi, today on the first day of his official two-day visit - his first since he took office -, said at a joint press conference with President Rouhani at the Sa'dabad cultural and historical complex in Northern Tehran that his country owes much of its current peace and stability to Iran’s support and contributions.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran helped us in the fight against terrorism and we managed to achieve many victories that contributed to the current peace and stability in Iraq,” the Iraqi Prime Minister said at the presser. “Today, leaders from all around the world visit Iraq, and we are witness to a transformation that is to the benefit of both the Iraqi people and the rest of the countries in the region.”

We believe that it was due to Iran’s support that Iraq succeeded in reaching this point, he added.

“We are seeking to further expand relations between Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Abdul-Mahdi stressed.

He went on to add that Iraq also seeks to develop ties with Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt and other countries in the Middle East.

“We seek to establish a stable and peaceful region in which the era of wars has come to an end,” he said, adding that the only solution to the Yemeni crisis is a political approach.

The Iraqi prime minister also stressed that his country is resolved to prevent any groups from using its soil to launch threats against Iran.

Early in March, Rouhani visited Iraq and the two countries sealed many agreements during the first visit of Rouhani to the Arab country.

At a meeting of high-ranking delegations of Iran and Iraq in Baghdad on March 11, Rouhani said that Tehran was ready to increase the volume of its energy exports to Iraq.

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