Zarif Highlights Deals Reached on First Day of Rouhani’s Iraq Visit

“Met Pres, PM, Speaker+political & business leaders,” Zarif wrote in a post on his Twitter account late on Monday.

“Agreed on: -Inclusive regional security -No-fee visas -Connecting railways -Dredging border river after 43 yrs -Joint industrial zones -Energy cooperation -$20B in trade -PTA 2 more days; 2 more cities,” he added.

In another tweet earlier in the day, Zarif had stressed the importance of the ties between Tehran and Baghdad, saying, “Our unshakable bonds benefit Iran, Iraq & region”.

Rouhani is in Baghdad on a three-day trip aimed at solidifying bilateral strategic ties.

On Monday and after arrival, he met with his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih.

He also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi. The two sides signed five memorandums of understanding for the expansion of bilateral cooperation in various economic and healthcare sectors in Rouhani and Abdul-Mahdi’s presence.

The Iranian president is slated to meet with Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi and a number of prominent lawmakers later. He will also make stops at Shiite holy sites and meet top Iraqi Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who is a major source of influence in the Arab country.

Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign minister stressed that the United States cannot “stop” Iran and Iraq’s mutual relations, reminding that Baghdad has established the ties of its own accord.

Zarif made the remarks to BBC Arabic Television on Monday.

“We have good relations with Iraq. Iraq is our neighbor,” the Iranian foreign minister said, adding that not even former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hossein’s 1980-88 war on the Islamic Republic managed to separate the two nations, ending the historical, geographical, and even family ties between the countries.

“We have never asked the Iraqis to choose us,” the senior diplomat said. “It is the United States, which is pressuring Iraqis to choose (between Iran and the US),” Zarif stated, stressing that Tehran is not after competing with Washington in Iraq either.

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