International Shia News Agency
All NewsBusinessFeatured 1Middle EastNEWS BRIEFSOther News

Iran, Iraqi Kurdistan call for expansion of bilateral relations

SHAFAQNADuring the Iranian foreign minister’s visit to Iraq and the country’s Kurdistan region, Iran and Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region have emphasized the importance of expansion of bilateral relations in various sectors.

The calls for stronger ties came during a visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, Erbil, on Tuesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif addressed a gathering of business people from both Iran and the Iraqi region in Erbil on the same day.

He praised the brotherly and historical relations between the two sides and called for closer Tehran-Erbil cooperation.

The Iranian foreign minister further said that the unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran would fail to affect and hamper Iran’s relations with Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

“Sanctions will fail to create an obstacle in the way of expanding economic ties between Iran and Iraq,” he said, adding that Iran was “a highly reliable partner” for all of its friends, “particularly Iraq’s Kurdistan region.”

Zarif also said that the security of the Islamic Republic is intertwined with and “inseparable from” that of Kurdistan, expressing support for the central government in Baghdad as well as the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

Speaking on the sidelines of the economic forum, Prime Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government Nechirvan Barzani hailed Zarif’s visit as an indication of the “deep-rooted and good relations” between Iran and the Iraqi Kurdistan.

He further praised Iran’s support for the Kurds when the Takfiri Daesh terrorists were wreaking havoc in the region.

Dara Jalil Khayat, the chairman of the Kurdistan Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, who also attended the economic forum, put the volume of trade exchanges between Tehran and Erbil at $6 billion, expressing hope for the expansion of economic ties between the two sides.

He further said that a joint committee would be established to deal with the existing economic problems, press tv reported.

The Parliament speaker of Iraqi semi-autonomous Kurdistan Jaafar Iminiki said that the KRG is proud to have good relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

He emphasized that the semi-autonomous Kurdistan wants to strengthen and deepen its relations with Iran, adding that he as the KRG parliament speaker will do his best to enhance bilateral relations.

Also, in the same event, the KRG’s Head of Department of Foreign Relations Falah Mustafa Bakir expressed the Iraqi Kurds’ appreciation for the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran to bring Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan region closer to each other, saying that Iran has always stood alongside the Iraqi Kurds.

He, also, called for further bilateral ties between Iran and the KRG, Mehr News Agency told.

Zarif arrived in another major Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah after wrapping up his visit to Erbil to pay tribute to late President Jalal Talebani and take part in a trade meeting of Iranian and Kurdish businessmen.

Upon arrival in Sulaimaniyah, Zarif paid tribute to Jalal Talebani by visiting his monument and signing it. He will leave the Kurdistan region for south Iraq later today, according to his previously-announced schedule.

Heading a high-ranking political and economic delegation, Zarif arrived in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on Sunday.

There, the Iranian foreign minister met with Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, President Barham Salih, Speaker of the Council of Representatives of Iraq Mohamed al-Halbousi, Head of the National Wisdom Movement of Iraq Ammar Hakim, Iraqi lawmaker Hadi al-Amiri, and the heads as well as members of Iraqi religious, political, cultural, ethical, and social bodies.

 

Read more from Shafaqna:

ZARIF : NO ONE ALLOWED TO INTERFERE IN TEHRAN-BAGHDAD TIES        

PHOTOS: ZARIF MEETS AMMAR AL-HAKIM 

Related posts

Sarkhosh booked ticket to World Snooker Tour

rahman samadreza

Iraq: Sabean-Mandaeans Celebrate Creation Feast

nafiseh yazdani

Yasar Dogu tournament 2024: Vafaeipour wins gold

rahman samadreza

Iranian Greco-Roman wrestling team winner of the Vehbi Emre Tournament 2024

rahman samadreza

Iran’s Tabatabaei Champion of Russian Chess Tournament

rahman samadreza

Al-Forat: Details of special security plan for Ramadhan in Iraq

anvari

Leave a Comment