Tehran-Baghdad close ties will deal a blow to enemies: Iraqi official

TEHRAN, March 11 (MNA) – Iraqi Vice President Khodair al-Khozaei said that the consolidation of ties between Tehran and Baghdad will definitely deal a heavy blow to the enemies of the two countries. Khozaei made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran on Saturday. He said that Iraq is keen to cement ties with the Islamic Republic and will make every effort to help expand relations in all spheres. He also described the roles of the two countries in the regional arena as important and emphasized the necessity of making efforts to help serve the common interests of the two countries. In the meeting, Ahmadinejad commented on the conspiracies devised by the two countries’ common enemies and said that the expansion of ties will foil such plots. He also stated that Iran and Iraq have many cultural and historical affinities and have great potential that should be utilized to help the two countries make progress. In a separate meeting with Khozaei, Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said that the global powers’ failures in Iraq and Afghanistan gave a great lesson to them. He expressed satisfaction with the withdrawal of U.S. force from Iraqi soil and said that the situation in the country has provided a great opportunity for the Iraqi government to play a substantial role in the region. He added that the hegemonistic powers cannot stand up to the will of the people around the world. Khozaei also underlined Tehran’s complete support for the Iraqi nation and government, saying that the Islamic Republic can help Iraq take major steps toward prosperity.