Iraq keen on strengthening ties with Iran

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Jaafari underlined the need for consolidation of his country’s relations with neighboring Iran.

In a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif Tuesday, he said Tehran-Baghdad ties are ever growing in view of their numerous commonalities.

Zarif, for his part, said, ‘We have stayed alongside the Iraqi nation all the time. Describing terrorism as a threat to the region, he hoped that all regional states would pay attention to the issue.

‘Terrorism poses threat to all of us and we need collective cooperation to counter it,’ he said. Zarif arrived in Baghdad on an official visit today for talks with high-ranking Iraqi officials. This is Zarif’s second visit to Iraq since Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi took office in September.