Iranian president visits Iraq on first foreign trip

Mr Pezeshkian met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani during the visit. "We are planning to sign some agreements," Mr Pezeshkian said ahead of the visit, his first official trip abroad.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attend a welcoming ceremony at Baghdad International Airport in Iraq, September 11. Photo: Pool

The Iraqi Prime Minister's media office said the two countries will sign memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in various areas including trade, agriculture and communications.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said about 15 memorandums of understanding would be signed, according to Iranian media. "We have several areas of cooperation, including political , regional... and security issues," Araqchi said.

Iranian state media reported that Mr Pezeshkian visited a monument to Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US strike in 2020.

The Iranian president will also visit Iraq's Kurdistan region, an area where Iran has carried out airstrikes in the past.

Ahead of the trip, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told an Iraqi television channel that Pezeshkian hoped to strengthen security ties with Baghdad, as well as economic ties.

"We want to see Iraq develop, grow, prosper and be strong on our borders, and any economic project that achieves this goal has our support," Mr Araghchi said.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters, AP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-thong-iran-den-tham-iraq-trong-chuyen-cong-du-nuoc-ngoai-dau-tien-post311815.html