Iran's president urges broader cooperation with Iraq 'across all sectors'

Tehran, Oct 22 (IANS) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for expanding Tehran-Baghdad relations "across all sectors," the president's office said in a statement.

Speaking on Tuesday in Tehran with visiting Iraqi National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji, Pezeshkian described the bilateral relationship as "excellent" and said closer cooperation could strengthen security, economic, scientific, and cultural ties between the two countries and across the Muslim world, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that regular diplomatic exchanges could foster mutual understanding and help shape a coordinated approach to regional and international issues.

Al-Araji said Iraq's security is closely linked to Iran's and reaffirmed Baghdad's commitment to a 2023 bilateral security agreement, pledging to prevent any threats to Iran from their shared border, according to the Iranian statement.

Al-Araji arrived in Tehran on Monday for talks with senior Iranian officials, including Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and IRGC Chief Commander Mohammad Pakpour.

Earlier in August, 2025, Iraq and Iran signed a joint security agreement on security coordination along the shared borders between the two countries.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani and Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji, according to a statement by the prime minister's media office.

In his meeting with Larijani before the signing, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani reaffirmed Iraq's commitment to developing relations with Iran and to enhancing fruitful partnerships across various levels and fields, according to the statement.

--IANS

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