Iraqi PM in Tehran to Discuss War on ISISL
BAGHDAD (Dispatches) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi was to visit Iran on Monday for talks on Baghdad's battle against ISIL, which holds swathes of the country, his office said.
The one-day trip was part of Abadi's bid "to unite the efforts of the region and the world to help Iraq in its war against the terrorist group", it said in a statement.
The visit also aimed to strengthen cooperation between the two neighbors "in the fields of energy, and housing and construction" among other areas.
Iraq is fighting to push back ISIL, which overran much of the country's Sunni Arab heartland in a lightning offensive in June.
Tehran is a key backer of the government in Baghdad.
According to senior Iraqi Kurdish officials, Iranian forces played a role in the Turkmen town of Amerli, where security forces and allied militiamen broke a months-long ISIL siege at the end of August.
On the eve of PM Abadi’s visit, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said Tehran supports Iraq’s unity, integrity, security and all-out development and will cooperate with the country for the elimination of terrorism.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran pursues the expansion of all-out strategic ties with Iraq based on the common interests and expediencies of the two countries and the region and will cooperate with Iraq in countering the challenges ahead, particularly for the establishment of security and the eradication of the ominous phenomenon of terrorism,” Afkham said.
"Close consultation between the two countries in view of the sensitivity and complicated nature of regional developments, and also the effective role of Tehran and Baghdad in restoring peace and stability to the region as well as the need for the integration of ongoing efforts in fighting terrorism are very important issues,” the Iranian spokesperson pointed out.
She added that the Iraqi premier was scheduled to hold talks with senior Iranian officials on the latest developments in the region and ways to settle regional problems during his visit to Tehran.
The visit also aimed to strengthen cooperation between the two neighbors "in the fields of energy, and housing and construction" among other areas.
Iraq is fighting to push back ISIL, which overran much of the country's Sunni Arab heartland in a lightning offensive in June.
Tehran is a key backer of the government in Baghdad.
According to senior Iraqi Kurdish officials, Iranian forces played a role in the Turkmen town of Amerli, where security forces and allied militiamen broke a months-long ISIL siege at the end of August.
On the eve of PM Abadi’s visit, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said Tehran supports Iraq’s unity, integrity, security and all-out development and will cooperate with the country for the elimination of terrorism.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran pursues the expansion of all-out strategic ties with Iraq based on the common interests and expediencies of the two countries and the region and will cooperate with Iraq in countering the challenges ahead, particularly for the establishment of security and the eradication of the ominous phenomenon of terrorism,” Afkham said.
"Close consultation between the two countries in view of the sensitivity and complicated nature of regional developments, and also the effective role of Tehran and Baghdad in restoring peace and stability to the region as well as the need for the integration of ongoing efforts in fighting terrorism are very important issues,” the Iranian spokesperson pointed out.
She added that the Iraqi premier was scheduled to hold talks with senior Iranian officials on the latest developments in the region and ways to settle regional problems during his visit to Tehran.