Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi (R) and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein meet in Tehran on December 23, 2021. (Photo by president.ir)

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi says the Islamic Republic has always supported the establishment of a strong and powerful parliament and government in Iraq.

In a meeting with visiting Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Tehran on Thursday, Raeisi hailed recent peaceful and secure parliamentary elections in Iraq.

Iran’s president added that the Islamic Republic regards any form of insecurity in Iraq as its own, stressing, Fomenting insecurity and threatening stability in Iraq are not acceptable, and the principled policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to support the stability of Iraq and authority of its government.

Pointing to the withdrawal of the US military forces from Iraq, the Iranian president stated, This achievement is the outcome of resistance of the Iraqi nation and officials, because the Americans have never left any place where they have been militarily present, except in cases where they faced resistance of nations.

The US-Iraq agreement to pull out all American combat troops from the country by the end of this year was devised back in July following persisting demands by Iraqi lawmakers and community leaders for withdrawal of US forces after their terrorist drone assassination near Baghdad airport of visiting Iran’s Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani along with other senior Iraqi and Iranian military officials early last year.

US President Joe Biden and Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi declared that the US mission in Iraq will transition from combat to an advisory role by the end of the year.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Raeisi commended efforts by the Iraqi government to help repatriate the late Iranian ambassador to Sana’a, Hassan Irloo, who passed away of COVID-19 complications after Saudi aggressors dragged their foot over allowing his medical evacuation for treatment.

Relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq are based on friendship as well as deep and broad religious, cultural and historical commonalities, and there exist a special relationship between Tehran and Baghdad in various bilateral, regional and international fields, the Iranian president said.

He emphasized that the promotion of Tehran-Baghdad relations is in the interest of both countries and the region.

The Iraqi foreign minister, for his part, praised Iran’s firm support for his country’s stability and security.

The Iraqi government and nation have always hailed Iran’s support for their country’s sovereignty and political stability, he said.