BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani arrived in Baghdad on Monday morning for a three-day official visit accompanied by high-profile economic and political delegations with the aim of growing economic relations between the two neighbors.
Rouhani is expected to hold talks with arrays of Iraqi officials including President Barham Salih, Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, religious and tribal figures.
“During very difficult times we were by the side of Iraqi people and today that Iraq is in peace and security, we will be by the Iraqi people’s side,” President Rouhani said at Mehrabad airport on Monday morning before leaving for Baghdad.
The two sides are expected to ink several economic and trade agreements as Iraq emerges from over three years of brutal war against the Islamic State and in desperate need of rebuilding the areas devastated by the war. Iran was one of the first countries that came to the aid of the Iraqi government as jihadists advanced towards the Iraqi capital in June 2014.
“Fortunately the Americans were unsuccessful almost in every effort against Iran over the last year,” Rouhani said, referring to the US government diplomacy since Washington walked away from the nuclear deal last May and re-imposed stringent sanctions targeting Iran’s energy, shipping and banking sector.
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, a former Iran ambassador to Iraq, said in an interview that despite the US pressure on Iraq to cut off ties with Tehran, relations between the two countries are ‘strategic’ and Rouhani’s trip will advance them.
“By taking into account the current situation in Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran could introduce a long-term program and a strategic cooperation plan at least for the next 25 years between the two countries," Kazemi Qomi told official Iranian agency IRNA. “However, there has to be a good framework to realise these aims and strategy.”
Another issue that Rouhani is keen on discussing with Iraqi officials is to clean up strategic Shatt al-Arab waterway known as Arvand Rud in Iran to be used by ships to boost trade. Iran is interested in revising the 1975 agreement between the two countries which was scrapped by Saddam Hussein's regime in early 1980s as the two countries fought a bloody war.
Rouhani is accompanied by Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. Iranian officials hope to increase trade with its western neighbour from $12 billion to $20 billion in the coming years.
Iraqi President Barham Salih told reporters on Sunday that the visit by Rouhani is to deepen relations between the two countries.
Iran is Iraq's largest trading partner followed by Turkey. Relations between the two countries have been strengthened since the US invasion in 2003.
This is a developing story...