Defense Minister Gen. Hatami in Baghdad:
Iran, Iraq Discuss Boosting Defense Ties
BAGHDAD (Dispatches) -- Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami arrived here on Wednesday for talks on various issues, including ways to boost defense cooperation between the Islamic Republic and the Arab country.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival, the defense minister said numerous topics, including the latest developments in the region, would be raised in his talks with Iraqi officials.
"One of the main objectives of the trip is to enhance military cooperation between the two countries,” he said.
In December 2014, Iraq’s former defense minister Khalid al-Obeidi paid a visit to Iran and signed a defense cooperation agreement with the Islamic Republic.
Iraq has been facing the threat of terrorism in recent years, mainly posed by the Daesh terrorist group. Iran was famously the first country to rush to Iraq’s help when Daesh terrorists reached the gates of Baghdad.
Hatami said he would discuss with Iraqi officials a joint missile attack by the U.S., Britain and France on Syria last week.
The Iraqi government denounced the airstrikes as a "very dangerous” development that could help Takfiri terrorists re-emerge in the region.
A day after the attack, Iraqis came out in their thousands in Baghdad as well as the holy cities of Najaf and Basra to protest the attacks.
They burned and stomped on several U.S. flags. "Stop destroying Syria as you destroyed our country,” shouted the protesters, in reference to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. "No to America, no to the bombardment of Syria,” they chanted.
Hatami said Iran will keep up its counter-terrorism cooperation with Iraq until the annihilation of terrorism.
Daesh, he said, had inflicted a lot of damage on the nations of the region, especially Iraq, and that all countries needed to put an all-out anti-terror fight high on their agenda or they would suffer.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran stood by the Iraqi nation and army in this crisis and hardships and we are determined in the fight against terrorism until the very end,” Hatami said in the first joint high commission for defense cooperation.
The Iranian defense minister congratulated the Iraqi people and government on the defeat of Daesh as well as victories made by Iraqi popular fighters and the armed forces.
Hatami also welcomed further defense cooperation with Baghdad.
"We are very interested in maintaining defense and military cooperation between the two countries so that we can achieve the highest level of interactions,” he said.
The Iranian defense minister criticized double standards toward fighting terror in the region, and said terrorism was totally denounced in any part of the world.
Hatami said Iran is honestly and benevolently fighting against Daesh and other Takfiri groups alongside the Iraqi government and nation.
Defense cooperation among Iran, Iraq and Syria and later the participation of Russia has become a symbol of the fight against terrorism in the region, he added.
For his part, the Iraqi defense minister praised Iran’s support for his country. He also expressed hope that Iran would actively participate in reconstruction of his country.
Later on Wednesday, the Iranian defense chief also met and held talks with Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army General Othman al-Ghanmi, during which the two sides discussed regional developments and matters of mutual interest.
Ghanmi said Baghdad and Tehran were keeping their anti-terror cooperation with the aim of totally clearing the Iraqi soil of terrorists.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival, the defense minister said numerous topics, including the latest developments in the region, would be raised in his talks with Iraqi officials.
"One of the main objectives of the trip is to enhance military cooperation between the two countries,” he said.
In December 2014, Iraq’s former defense minister Khalid al-Obeidi paid a visit to Iran and signed a defense cooperation agreement with the Islamic Republic.
Iraq has been facing the threat of terrorism in recent years, mainly posed by the Daesh terrorist group. Iran was famously the first country to rush to Iraq’s help when Daesh terrorists reached the gates of Baghdad.
Hatami said he would discuss with Iraqi officials a joint missile attack by the U.S., Britain and France on Syria last week.
The Iraqi government denounced the airstrikes as a "very dangerous” development that could help Takfiri terrorists re-emerge in the region.
A day after the attack, Iraqis came out in their thousands in Baghdad as well as the holy cities of Najaf and Basra to protest the attacks.
They burned and stomped on several U.S. flags. "Stop destroying Syria as you destroyed our country,” shouted the protesters, in reference to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. "No to America, no to the bombardment of Syria,” they chanted.
Hatami said Iran will keep up its counter-terrorism cooperation with Iraq until the annihilation of terrorism.
Daesh, he said, had inflicted a lot of damage on the nations of the region, especially Iraq, and that all countries needed to put an all-out anti-terror fight high on their agenda or they would suffer.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran stood by the Iraqi nation and army in this crisis and hardships and we are determined in the fight against terrorism until the very end,” Hatami said in the first joint high commission for defense cooperation.
The Iranian defense minister congratulated the Iraqi people and government on the defeat of Daesh as well as victories made by Iraqi popular fighters and the armed forces.
Hatami also welcomed further defense cooperation with Baghdad.
"We are very interested in maintaining defense and military cooperation between the two countries so that we can achieve the highest level of interactions,” he said.
The Iranian defense minister criticized double standards toward fighting terror in the region, and said terrorism was totally denounced in any part of the world.
Hatami said Iran is honestly and benevolently fighting against Daesh and other Takfiri groups alongside the Iraqi government and nation.
Defense cooperation among Iran, Iraq and Syria and later the participation of Russia has become a symbol of the fight against terrorism in the region, he added.
For his part, the Iraqi defense minister praised Iran’s support for his country. He also expressed hope that Iran would actively participate in reconstruction of his country.
Later on Wednesday, the Iranian defense chief also met and held talks with Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army General Othman al-Ghanmi, during which the two sides discussed regional developments and matters of mutual interest.
Ghanmi said Baghdad and Tehran were keeping their anti-terror cooperation with the aim of totally clearing the Iraqi soil of terrorists.