TEHRAN — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi advised neighboring Iraq on Thursday not to allow its soil to be used for activities that disrupt the Islamic Republic’s security.
His comments follow attestations by Iranian officials last month that Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region had hosted a “strategic center” used by the occupying regime of Israel.
“The president emphasized that Iran strongly expects neighboring countries, especially Iraq, not to allow any presence that is disruptive to the security of the Islamic Republic,” a statement by President Raisi’s office said.
He announced Iran’s dismay at Iraq’s Kurdistan region of “negligence,” saying that the Islamic Republic is closely monitoring the movements of the Zionist regime and will not allow it to endanger the security of the region through any country, including Iraq.
The Iranian president made the remarks in Tehran during a meeting with visiting Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.
Iraq’s top diplomat pledged that his country will not be a base for actions against Iran’s security, the statement added.
“We are ready for extensive cooperation, including in the field of security, to prevent any threat to the interests of Iran,” Hussein said.
Last month, Iran targeted the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region, with a dozen ballistic missiles.
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) confirmed at the time that they fired the projectiles and targeted a “strategic center” used by the occupying regime of Israel.
“Iraq considers itself not only a neighbor but also an ally and a friend of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Hussein said.
Earlier, Quds Force commander Brigadier General Esmail Qa’ani warned that the Islamic Republic will harshly confront the Israeli regime wherever it deems necessary.
“If an act of aggression is carried out against the interests of the Islamic establishment anywhere in the world, we will respond with seriousness,” he Qa’ani said.
The senior commander reminded the regime of the IRGC’s forceful missile attack on secret Mosad bases in Erbil.
“In Erbil, many people who lived next to you did not know the attacked site was your base, but you had been under our surveillance,” he said, addressing the Zionists.
On Wednesday, the Iraqi foreign minister said Iran has been a loyal neighbor and Baghdad would not allow any threats originating from its soil against other neighboring states.
Hussein travelled to Tehran, accompanied by Iraqi National Security Advisor Qasem al-Araji to discuss bilateral relations, regional issues, and Baghdad’s role in

facilitating dialogue between Tehran and Riyadh.
“The security of Iran and Iraq are dependent on each other and Iraq will not allow threats to originate from its soil against its neighbors,” Hussein told his Iranian counterpart Hussein Amir-Abdullahian.
The Iranian foreign minister echoed the sentiment expressed by his Iraqi counterpart.
“Iran will not accept to be threatened from its own borders by the US, the Zionist regime, terrorist elements and separatists and for its security to be endangered,” he said.
The Iraqi foreign ministry released a statement commenting on the trip and said that both parties discussed various issues including the Iran nuclear deal, the war in Ukraine, and bilateral ties between the two countries.
Since the toppling of the Saddam Hussein regime, Iraq has become a top destination for Iranian goods. Over the past year, Iraq was the top destination for Iranian goods at $8.9 billion followed by Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, which stood at $6.1 billion and $4.9 billion respectively. Iraqi exports to Iran stood at $1.2 billion.