TEHRAN, Mar. 09 (MNA) – In a meeting with Iraqi parliament speaker in Baghdad, Iran’s First Vice President Es’hagh Jahangiri said that Iran will continue to stay alongside Iraq in the post-ISIL era.

In the meeting on Thursday afternoon in Iraqi capital Baghdad, Iran’s First Vice President Es’hagh Jahangiri told Salim al-Jabouri “Iranian companies and engineers remained in Iraq during the difficult period of ISIL’s presence, despite all the dangers and problems they were exposed to, and even a number of them were martyred.”

Jahangiri stated “the Iraqi government and nation resisted well against terrorism and proved to the international community that a nation could defeat terrorism through resistance and unity.”

Referring to upcoming elections in Iraq, Iran’s first vice president said “the Iraqi state is one of the democratic countries in the region whose government is elected by people, even though it is located in a region where people in some parts of it have been deprived of ballot boxes for electing or dismissing their officials.”

Jahangiri added “some of the hostilities and enmities towards countries such as Iran and Iraq are due to the democratic structure of the two countries, in which people’s votes are a decisive factor.”

Iranian vice president went on to declare "we support the integrity of Iraq and the Sunni, Shia, Kurds, and all Iraqi nation’s demands for progress and prosperity in their country,” emphasizing “the Islamic Republic of Iran will stay alongside the Iraqi government and nation in all circumstances.”

Referring to the high level of relations between the two countries, Jahangiri also described the relations between Iran and Iraq in a good position, and expressed hope that in the light of the support of the two parliaments, the existing barriers will also be resolved.

He also praised the role of the Iraqi parliament speaker in supporting the two countries' agreements, as well as the hospitality of the Iraqi government and officials during the Iranian delegation’s visit to their country.

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