Martyred Leader’s Funeral A Manifestation of Iran-Iraq Deep Ties: Envoy

IQNA – Iraq’s new ambassador to Tehran considered the large presence of Iraqis at the funeral of martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in Iraq as a reflection of the respect and depth of people-to-people ties between the two countries.

Yasser Abdul-Zahra al-Hajjaj, in a note on the occasion of the beginning of his mission in Tehran, also described the annual Arbaeen procession as one of the most prominent manifestations of convergence between the two nations.

He referred to the upcoming visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to Iran and called for enhancing the level of economic and energy cooperation.

He described engagement with Iran a strategic choice for regional stability.

Referring to the deep historical, geographical, human, cultural and religious ties between the two countries, Al-Hajjaj said past experiences have shown that regional stability can only be achieved through cooperation, dialogue and trust between countries, and economic development is the most sustainable path to establishing security, and therefore Iraq views its surrounding environment as a strategic depth and a key partner in building a more prosperous future for the peoples of the region.

Noting that his country continues to follow its balanced foreign policy based on national principles, he said, “We believe that dialogue is the only solution to differences and that regional cooperation is a real guarantee of security and stability.”

The new Iraqi ambassador emphasized, “My mission in Tehran is to strive to develop bilateral relations according to a clear Iraqi perspective that is based on mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs and expanding cooperation to realize the interests of the two countries and two friendly nations.”

Referring to the special importance of the upcoming visit of the Iraqi premier to Tehran, he considered this visit a sign of the desire to develop relations, expand the horizons of participation and coordination on issues of common interest, and emphasized the continuation of Iraq's approach based on dialogue, open-door policy and trust-building.

He considered the future of Iraqi-Iranian relations to be based on investing in common strengths, expanding economic and cultural cooperation, and deepening political dialogue, and emphasized that the message of his mission is based on the belief that good neighborliness is not just a principle in foreign policy, but rather a strategic choice to build a more stable and prosperous future for the entire region.

4365511