Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi announced on Sunday that Tehran and Baghdad would take new steps to enhance monetary cooperation. After a meeting in Tehran, Raisi made the remarks during a joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. According to the president, Iran’s relations with Iraq are deep-rooted, and that such commitment is necessary for the expansion of relations between the two neighboring countries.
In his meeting with Al-Kadhimi, President Raisi said that linking the Shalamcheh and Basra railways was one of the main topics of discussion. Based on the Iranian government’s foreign policy of expanding relations with neighboring countries, Tehran now has the most favorable relations with Iraq. Meanwhile, the Iranian president praised the Iraqi government for easing visa requirements for Iranian pilgrims so that they could perform Arbaeen pilgrimage rituals.
The COVID-19 disease outbreak was responsible for much of the problems encountered by Iranian Arbaeen pilgrims over the past few years, Raisi said, adding that conditions have changed greatly both in Iran and Iraq today. Affirming the need for regional countries to resolve regional issues, he said the presence and intervention of foreign countries is a source of problems rather than a solution.