BAGHDAD, Iraq (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Iraq’s President, Jalal Talabani, has described relations with Iran as “good, despite difficulties,” adding that “there is a national consensus to cement them,” according to a Presidential statement on Thursday.
The statement pointed out that President Talabani had received in Baghdad on Wednesday Iran’s visiting Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Salihi and his accompanying delegation.
The meeting, attended by Iraq’s Forign Minister, Hoshiar Zibari and a number of other officials, had witnessed “President Talabani’s welcome of the Iranian Foreign Minister and members of his delegation, expressing gratitude for Grand Ayatollah Khamanei and the Iranian President, for their greetings, “reiterating deepness of the historic links and bilateral relations between Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran, in all fields.”
“Our relations have passed through tests and experiences, but despite that, they have become good relations and there is an Iraqi consensus to boost relations with neighboring Iran and to strive to boost them to cover all fields,” the statement pointed out.
On his part, the Iranian Foreign Minister had expressed gratitude for President Talabani for his good reception and hospitality, pointing out that his meetings with Iraq’s Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki and Foreign Minister Zibari, had “been good and constructive, based on the high interests that serve both peoples, reiterating Iran’s attention and hope to boost security, stability and prosperity of Iraq.”
The Iranian Foreign Minister had also highlighted “the efforts, exerted by President Talabani to strengthen bilateral relations and activate construction cooperation between both countries, expressing his country’s rejoice to see the Iraqi people passing the difficult phase that passed during the formation of the new government of national-partnership, representing all parties of the Iraqi people, thing that had its impact on opening broad horizins for bilateral relations between the two countries.”
Minister Salahi, the statement said, had conveyed an official invitation by the Iranian President for President Talabani to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran, adding that President Talabani had accepted the invitation, asking the Iranian Foreign Minister to convey his greetings to President Ahmednejad.
The Iranian Foreign Minister had arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday, on an official visit for Iraq.
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