Iranian, Iraqi Presidents Agree on Enhanced Trade Ties

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih have called for expansion of bilateral ties between the two neighbouring states in line with the interest of both nations.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih attend a joint press conference in Baghdad on March 11, 2019 / Photo by president.ir

Speaking in a joint press conference with Salih in Baghdad, Rouhani said the two states have the potential and capacity required to increase their relations in all sectors.

“We do not want Iraq to turn into a scene for regional or international conflicts,” said the Iranian president, adding that Iraq can play an important role in relations between the countries of the region.

Rouhani said the Islamic Republic considers Iraq a very important country whose peace and stability is essential for the stability of the region.

He further mentioned that both countries have faced the issue of terrorism in the past several years.

In turn, Iraqi President Salih hailed Iran’s support for Baghdad in fighting ISIS terrorists. He also called for closer bilateral security cooperation.

Before his visit, Rouhani said the relations between Tehran and Baghdad are special. He underlined that bilateral ties currently cover almost all sectors, but there’s still room for enhancement.

The Iranian president went on to say that he, and the accompanying entourage, will discuss a wide range of issues including trade, transit, border security, and tourism. Iran’s president also noted that the two sides are aiming to grow bilateral trade volume to $20 billion a year.

Emad Askarieh

Emad Askarieh has worked as a journalist since 2002. The main focus of his work is foreign policy and world diplomacy. He started his career at Iran Front Page Media Group, and is currently serving as the World Editor and the Vice-President for Executive Affairs at the Iran Front Page (IFP) news website.