In an interview with Al-Alam TV channel, al-Araji emphasized Iraq's support for Iran and the shared concern for the well-being of the Iranian president, hailing him as a leader who has always stood by Iraqis, Press TV reported.
“We’re truly worried and follow the details of the issue. We stand beside the people and leadership in Iran. Iraq and Iraq are together in confronting the adversaries,” he said.
Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani has affirmed Iraq's readiness to collaborate and has instructed support for the search and rescue missions in Iran, he noted.
Al-Araji was referring to a statement by the Iraqi government that Sudani “instructed the interior ministry, the Iraqi Red Crescent, and other relevant authorities to offer the Islamic Republic of Iran the available resources to aid in the search for the Iranian president’s aircraft.”
Other senior Iraqi officials have also voiced solidarity with Iran amid the search and rescue efforts in the northwest of the country after a helicopter carrying President Raeisi and other senior officials including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian suffered a “hard landing” in the province of East Azerbaijan.
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid issued a statement expressing his country's support and readiness to provide all possible assistance in the search operation.
President Rashid also held a phone conversation with Iran’s Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, in which he prayed for the well-being of his Iranian counterpart.
The Iraqi Red Crescent Society said it has equipped four search and rescue teams to assist in the search for the Iranian president’s plane.
MNA