Iran announces "military cooperation" with Iraq in the near future

The Iranian Chief of Staff, Mohammad Bagheri, said that his country is heading to sign a document of "military cooperation" with Iraq in the near future, indicating that the document is in its final stages, and affirming that defense cooperation between the two countries "will lead to better security for Iraq."

This came during a visit by the Iraqi Minister of Defense, Jumah Inad Saadoun, Sunday, to Tehran, to discuss bilateral military, security and border security cooperation, according to Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper, which also said that the Iraqi minister headed a high-ranking military delegation that includes the leaders of the navy, air force and civil defense, in addition to leaders in the Iraqi military and security establishment.

Bagheri indicated that the Iraqi delegation will visit the Iranian defense industries fair, on the sidelines of talks with Iranian military leaders, and referred to the conclusion of contracts in the defense and armament fields, and said: "The Ministry of Defense has provided products that Iraq needs."

He noted that his country had agreed with the Iraqi side to continue and expand "consultative processes", according to "need and conditions in the region."

Upon his meeting with the Iraqi minister, the Secretary-General of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Ali Shamkhani, said that "Iranian and Iraqi defense and security cooperation guarantees stability and security" between the two countries, and called for raising relations to the strategic level, stressing the importance of "maintaining security" in the two countries' borders.

He indicated that his country would face with "firmness", meaning "components" that could pose a threat to the two countries, and said: "The most important component of peace in the region is the exit of American forces."

T/S

ANHA