By IRNA
Tehran : Chairman of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s visit to Iran is aimed at following up previous agreements reached between the two countries.
The Iraqi prime minister is to arrive in Iran on August 8 at the end of his visit to Turkey.
The Iraqi prime minister set out for Turkey Tuesday morning on the first leg of his two-nation tour of Iraq’s neighboring states.
Speaking to reporters, Boroujerdi referred to the third rounds of tripartite talks between Iranian, Iraqi and US officials on the security of the war-torn country, saying, the Iraqi prime minister’s visit is significant as it could lead to “good achievements.” Referring to various pressures imposed on the government of Maliki from inside and outside Iraq, Boroujerdi said it “is not a new issue.
“All terrorist acts carried out in Iraq are clear examples of foreign pressures,” said the MP.
He added, “Dismissal of a number of ministers from Maliki’s government is indicative of domestic pressures exerted on his government.”
Boroujerdi said the main problem faced by the al-Maliki government “is security problems.
“Iran agreed to participate in the tripartite talks, despite having no official relations with the United States and this is the greatest step taken by Iran to help resolve Iraq’s current problems,” the MP stressed.
He expressed hope that the US would be serious this time and take fundamental measures, including strengthening Iraqi police force, to help Iraq overcome its security problems.
The Iranian, US and Iraqi officials held the third round of talks in Baghdad on Monday within the framework of a joint security committee at expert level.
Head of Iran’s expert team was Amir Abdollahian while the US expert team was led by Embassy’s senior diplomat Ms. Marcie Ries.
Iraq was represented by Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Kamal and several other Iraqi experts in the Monday’s meeting.
Abdollahian told reporters at the end of Monday’s meeting that it was conducted “in a frank and serious atmosphere.”
He said that the expert meeting studied the root-causes of terrorism and insecurity in Iraq and focused on ways to establish peace and stability in the war-torn country.
“We agreed to hold the next round of talks as per an invitation from the Baghdad government,” Abdollahian added.
The two previous rounds of talks between the three parties were respectively held on May 28 and July 24 at ambassadorial level with Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Hassan Kazemi Qomi and his US counterpart Ryan Crocker leading the Iranian and US delegations.