Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visits Iraq for the first time since the murder. of Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Qassem Soleimani in January.
Zarif and his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein, emphasized the need for a stable Iraq for the “good of the region” as the top two diplomats discussed their ties and regional developments in Baghdad on Sunday.
Zarif is also expected to meet with the President of Iraq, the Speaker of the Parliament and the Prime Minister during the visit, as regional security, bilateral relations and trade investments are on the agenda.
Zarif’s visit to Iraq comes amid tensions between the United States and Iran, which escalated after Soleimani’s murder in an airstrike in the Iraqi capital.
At a joint press conference with Hussein, Zarif said that a “stable and powerful” Iraq was of interest to both countries.
“That is why we hope to continue constructive bilateral negotiations. Stability, security and peace in Iraq is the stability of the entire region,” he said.
“Again, we reiterate that we are interested in maintaining Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Fuad Hussein said his country hoped to continue its “balanced relations” with all countries in the region.
“[The relations are] based first on our national interest, then on mutual interest with our neighbors without interfering in our internal affairs. “
Zarif visits the Soleimani monument
During his visit, Zarif visited a monument to Soleimani at the site where he and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), were killed near Baghdad International Airport.
Tehran had retaliated by firing a volley of ballistic missiles at US troops stationed in Iraq.
While the attack on the western Iraqi base in Ain al-Assad did not kill US soldiers, dozens were reported to have suffered a brain trauma.
Zarif said Soleimani’s murder was “a criminal act.”
“It is a loss for our country and for the entire region, and undermines international efforts to combat ISIL and terrorism in the region,” he said.
This was Zarif’s first visit to Iraq since the Soleimani assassination and the formation of the new Iraqi government.
Simona Foltyn of Al Jazeera, reporting from Baghdad, said the past few months have been turbulent for relations between Iran and Iraq.
“New Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has been stressing the importance of Iraq’s sovereignty,” he said.
“He also recently moved against armed groups present in Iraq, such as Kataib Hezbollah, which is considered close to Iran,” he said, referring to the Tehran-backed Iraqi armed group.
“This visit aims to recalibrate mutual relations and to ensure that Iran’s political, economic and security interests are represented in Iraq.”
Zarif’s visit comes a day before al-Kadhimi travels to Saudi Arabia and Iran next week in an apparent attempt to balance his country’s ties with regional rivals on his first trip abroad as Iraq’s prime minister.
SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
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