Iran Stresses Expansion of Media Cooperation with Iraq

The necessity for the development of media cooperation between Tehran and Baghdad was underlined in a meeting between Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham and Head of the National Iraqi News Agency (NINA)’s board of directors and head of Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate Moaid Allami.

During the meeting on Wednesday, Afkham stressed the need for cooperation of mass media among Muslim states as the enemies have launched propaganda campaign against the Muslim world.

She said that the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to promote media cooperation with Iraq.

Referring to president Rouhani administration’s constructive interaction and boosting cooperation with neighboring states, Iraq in particular as top priority of foreign policy, Afkham said that numerous cultural, religious and historic commonalities have created wide potentials for developing bilateral ties.

She underlined Iran’s principled stance of supporting Iraq as a stable, developed country with an effective role in region.

Allami, for his part, expressed pleasure with his visit to Tehran, and said that Iraqi mass media are well-prepared to promote cooperation with the Iranian mass media.

In a relevant development yesterday, senior Iranian and Iraqi officials, in a joint news conference in Tehran, stressed the need for the further expansion of mutual cooperation in economic fields.

During the news conference in the Iranian capital today, Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki reiterated the necessity for increasing exchange of visits between the two countries’ businessmen and trade officials in a bid to further consolidate Iran-Iraq economic ties.

The Iranian first vice-president reiterated that enhancement of bilateral ties tops the agenda of both Tehran and Baghdad, and said “the agreements between Tehran and Baghdad have provided proper opportunities for Iranian businessmen to play a bigger role in the gas and housing industries and other sectors in Iraq”.

The Iraqi prime minister, pointed to his meeting with the Iranian first vice-president, and said, “We agreed to have extensive activities and we also agreed on establishing different ways for conducting (joint) economic activities.”

Al-Maliki noted that the two sides have agreed to increase reciprocal visits by the two states’ officials.

The Iraqi prime minister arrived in Tehran at the head of a high-ranking delegation on Wednesday and was warmly welcomed by the Iranian first vice-president.