End attacks in Yemen; alien interference in bilateral ties forbidden

Presidents of Iran and Iraq in a joint statement here on Thursday asked for ending Saudi-led military attacks in Yemen and that no third country is allowed to interfere in the friendly ties of the two neighboring countries.

Iraq’s President Fuad Masum and his Iranian host President Hassan Rouhani stressed need for respecting the entire signed agreements and implementing them promptly, announcing that they will both do their best to expedite their implementation, free from any foreign interference in bilateral ties.

Expansion of bilateral ties and comprehensive cooperation more than ever before is emphasized in the joint statement, especially in all fields of mutual interest.

The Iraqi president’s meetings with the Iranian president and other high ranking officials, and his being received by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khameneie, all amid a very warm atmosphere are mentioned in the statement, noting that various aspects of bilateral ties, regional and international issues were surveyed in them.

Iran-Iraq relations are referred to ‘strategic and serving both friendly countries’ vital interests’ in the two presidents’ joint statement.

On prevailing regional political and security crises, the two presidents have stressed their joint viewpoints and mutual comprehension of the discussed issues and reiterated the need for continuous bilateral and multilateral consultations aimed at passing through the existing security challenges and strengthening of the regional ties.

Dr. Rouhani and President Masum meanwhile considered terrorism and extremism as the greatest challenges with which both the region and the world are entangled.

They condemned using terrorism and extremism are tools aimed at materializing political objectives, stressing the necessity of responsible cooperation among all regional and international players in campaign against all types of terrorism.

The two sides were agreed that comprehensive regional cooperation is needed to seek political and peaceful solutions for the regional crises free from military and political interventions in internal affairs of the regional countries.

The Iranian and Iraqi president have voiced deep worry about the ongoing developments in Yemen, stressing the need for ceasefire, ending the siege and rapid forwarding of humanitarian aids to that country and immediate beginning of national dialogue aimed at establishment of a new government based on Yemeni people’s will.

President Rouhani and President Masum were agreed that continuation of crisis in Syria and attacks made by terrorist groups there posed a great threat against regional peace and stability.

‘The international society must responsibly react to the developments in that country and encourage the whole national forces there to hold dialogue and achieve a Syrian-Syrian political strategy out of the prevailing and lingering crisis there,’ they emphasized.

Iran has at the end once again voice its all-out support for the Iraqi central government and nation in their righteous campaign against terrorism and asked the entire regional and international players to take sides by Iraq in that campaign.

The Iraqi side, too, has respectively thanked and dully appreciated Iran for its humble, effective and timely contributions to the campaign against terrorism in Iraq and its upcoming uprooting there.

Iraq’s President Fuad Masum and his high ranking delegation arrived in Tehran on Tuesday evening for talks and consultations with high ranking Iranian officials.