By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Visiting Iraqi Defence Minister Lt-Gen Abdul Qadir Mohammed Jassim Obeidi has conferred with his Iranian counterpart, Brig-Gen Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar, on the expansion of defence cooperation between the two countries.
At the meeting Sunday, the Iranian minister highlighted the strategic status of Iran and Iraq and said consolidation and bolstering defence ties between the two countries would bring security to the entire region.
Expansion of defence cooperation between Iran and Iraq would play a significant role in safeguarding peace, stability as well as ensuring durable security in the region, he said.
Both Iran and Iraq are highly capable of broadening and bolstering mutual relations mainly in defence and security affairs, Najjar said.
Iran’s principles are based on supporting the legal Iraqi government, he said, adding that the country is to support Iraqi military forces restore security in the war-shattered country.
He expressed the hope that the current visit of the Iraqi defence minister would lead to expansion of defence cooperation between the two sides.
The Iraqi defence minister, for his part, expressed satisfaction with his current visit to Tehran and underlined the need for expansion of defence relations between the two countries.
Rebuilding a new powerful army in Iraq requires benefiting from Iran’s invaluable experience and capabilities, he said. “We try to make the Iraqi army independent,” he underlined.
Friendly ties between Iran and Iraq would be to the benefit of security and stability of the region, he said.
At the meeting, the two sides also discussed expansion of defence cooperation and agreed to continue exchange of visits by defence officials of the two countries.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, heading a high-ranking delegation, arrived in Tehran on Saturday afternoon. Iraqi ministers of finance, defence, water resources, electricity are accompanying the Iraqi premier.