Iran, Iraq Emphasize Need for Cooperation in War on Terrorism

Baghdad –Iranian Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani and Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi in a meeting here on Sunday night underlined the need for cooperation between the two countries in the field of fighting terrorism.

Larijani and Al-Abadi said that Tehran and Baghdad should boost their cooperation in fighting terrorism and extremism.

The Iraqi president, meantime, said that he will follow up the issue of lifting the visas for their nationals willing to exchange visits.

Larijani and Al-Abadi also discussed other issues of mutual interest.

Larijani heading a high-ranking delegation arrived in Baghdad on Sunday morning to attend the Islamic Inter-parliamentary Union meeting in the Iraqi capital and delivered a speech in the meeting’s morning session.

A sum of 40 Muslim countries are attending the IIPU meeting to discuss the most important issues, including law-making and current regional issues.

The IIPU meeting wrapped up on Sunday night after issuing a statement in 15 paragraphs.

Anti-terrorism campaign Iran’s officially announced policy – Larijani

On the other hand, Iran has officially announced its support for countries engaged in campaign against terrorism, such as Iraq and Syria, said Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani in a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart here on Sunday.

‘We are not after crisis-making in relations with Saudi Arabia, but there are hallucinations that Riyadh needs to abandon,’ said Larijani, adding that Tehran’s support for campaign against terrorism in the region is in line with the Islamic Republic’s promotion of regional peace and stability.

Meanwhile, praising Pakistan as a major regional country, Larijani said that Tehran-Islamabad relations have never been periodical, or tactical and Pakistan’s approach for ever-expansion of relations has always been appreciated by Iran.

He, meanwhile, complained of the relative inaction on the part of Pakistan in case of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline proposing cooperation between that country’s private and state sectors to finalize that lingering strategic project.

The Pakistani Parliament Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadeq, for his part, asked for expansion of economic ties with Iran, arguing that there are plenty of good reasons for further strengthening of bilateral cooperation.

He also promised resolving Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project within 18 months if there will be sufficient investment in the field.

‘After completion, Islamabad can provide gas for the entire parts of the country,’ he said.

‘The Pakistani parliament members rejected the Saudi government’s demand for dispatching forces to Yemen,’ he said.

‘In case of Syria, too, Pakistan believes the Syrian government and dissidents need to solve their dispute in a Syrian-Syrian process and in case of Iran-Saudi dispute Islamabad is ready to mediate to solve the problem brotherly,’ he said.

IRNA

R.S