By: Kayhan International

     

Today the new Iranian president is in Iraq on his maiden foreign trip to signify the importance of friendly and fraternal relations between the two neighbourly countries existing since time immemorial.

Massoud Pezeshkian who assumed office last month holds vital talks in Baghdad with the host country’s Chief Executive Prime Minister Mohammad She’a as-Sudani as well as his Iraqi counterpart, Abdul-Latif Rashid, to ink vital agreements and finalize pending projects.

The visit comes at a crucial time when US-Israeli lawlessness is trying to destabilize the region, especially the Zionist usurped land of Palestine where the genocide in Gaza has entered the 11th month, the clouds of war threatening Lebanon, the unabated air raids on Syria, the unprovoked American attacks on Yemen, and the unwarranted Yankee military presence in Iraq.

The said countries are part of the Axis of Resistance, which takes inspiration from the power and prestige of the popular Islamic system of governance of Iran.

The Islamic Republic, which strives for stability, solidarity, and success of the region and all countries in the neighbourhood, is keen on further cementing the age-old ties with Iraq for the benefit of all.

Iran and Iraq enjoy flourishing trade, cultural, industrial, and religious ties. Millions of Iranians and Iraqis visit the shrines of the Immaculate Progeny of the Prophet in each other’s lands throughout the year.

Both possess rich oil reserves and share identical views on almost all national, regional, and international issues.

Iran for its part is abundant in natural gas and is keen on providing this vital source of energy to Iraq for development of its industries as well as for domestic use as cooking gas.

Such a relationship warrants firm security arrangements to make the two countries free of saboteurs and terrorists, especially on the shared 1,600 km long frontier stretching from the tripoint of Turkiye in the north to the headwaters of the Persian Gulf in the south.

In view of these facts, in March 2023 the two countries had signed a security agreement covering their common border. The Iraqi government pledged to disarm terrorists claiming to be Iranian Kurds operating from US-funded bases in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan.

According to analysts, both countries are on the right track to effectively manage their borders and combat sabotage groups, which are armed by Israel, ties with which is a cardinal crim in Iraq at times warranting capital punishment.

President Pezeshkian during his three-day visit to Iraq will travel to the holy cities of Najaf, Karbala, Kazemain, and Samarra, where besides paying homage at the shrines of the Infallible Imams of the Prophet’s Household, he will meet the leading ulema.

In addition the Iranian president will inspect various projects undertaken by Iranian companies in Basra and visit Erbil and Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq at the official invitation of the Kurdistan region’s authorities.

Of course, he will also emphasize the earliest withdrawal of all US and other foreign forces from Iraq as per the desire of the Iraqi masses who want the Americans out.