Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi made the remarks in a meeting with an advisor to Iranian first vice-president Hassan Danaeifar for Iraq affairs and Iran’s ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi in Baghdad on Sunday.
"Iraq is an independent country and cares about its foreign relations, especially its economic ties with Iran, based on its national interests,” Iraqi prime minister noted, adding that “the relations are not going to the affected by the will and pressures of others.”
The Iraqi prime minister reiterated his position on unilateral US sanctions against the Iranian people, emphasizing that Iraqi economy is closely tied to Iran’s economy.
Iraq's stance on the US anti-Iran sanctions is like that of the EU, Russia, China and Japan, and Iraq will not be part of the sanctions system, Abdul-Mahdi stressed.
After hearing the Iranian officials’ viewpoints on problems regarding the expansion of bilateral relations between the two countries, the Iraqi prime minister promised to resolve them.
Also in the meeting, Hassan Danaeifar, an advisor to Iranian first vice-president for economic relations with Iraq, who has also previously served as the Iranian ambassador to Baghdad, called for increasing the number of border crossings between the two countries, an increase in the volume of the export of Iranian goods to Iraq, as well as the implementation of Shalamcheh-Basra railway.
Danaeifar also went on to express his appreciation to the Iraqi people and government, especially Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi for their positive stances towards Iran.
The two Iranian diplomats also held a meeting with Iraqi Minister of Construction and Housing Bangen Rekani and Iraqi Electricity Minster Luay Al Khateeb today to discuss latest developments relating to bilateral relations.
Danaeifar is expected to hold meetings with more Iraqi officials on the three-day visit.
KI/IRN83128350
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