Iran determined to enhance ties with Iraq despite US pressures

Tabnak – Despite Washington’s continues campaign of increasing pressures on Iran by the means of sanctions, Iran’s ties with Iraq appears to be in a growing path. After some senior Iranian officials visited Iraq over the past several weeks, it’s reported that Iranian president is also due to pay an official visit to the neighboring country.

Iranian official media report that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will travel to Iraq on March 11 for an official visit. Heading a high-ranking delegation, the Iranian president will be visiting the Arab country at the official invitation of Baghdad. It will be Rouhani’s first official visit to Iraq during his tenure.

The Iranian president’s visit would come against the backdrop of Tehran’s efforts to boost its foreign trade in the US sanctions era.

Iraq’s foreign minister said recently that his country is “not obliged” to abide by sanctions imposed by the US against Iran and would be pursuing options to continue bilateral trade.

President of Iraq Barham Salih paid a visit to Tehran in November 2018 with a ranking delegation for a series of political and economic talks.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart at that time, Rouhani said the value of trade and economic interaction between Tehran and Baghdad stood at around $12 billion, adding that the two neighbors have the potential for a $20-billion trade target.

On Monday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with Prime Minister of Iraq Adil Abdul-Mahdi in Baghdad to make arrangements for Rouhani’s forthcoming trip.

In the meeting, the Iraqi prime minister expressed hope that the exchange of visits between the two countries' officials would be a turning point in efforts to promote bilateral relations and resolve mutual issues.

He also underlined the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in political and economic areas, saying that Iraq is ready to establish a joint industrial zone with Iran.

Araqchi, for his part, expressed hope that a planned visit by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to Baghdad would lead to further expansion of trade and economic relations between the two countries.

Araqchi's trip to Iraq comes after a last month’s visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the neighboring country. Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in the Iraqi capital, Zarif commended Iraq's positive stance on the promotion of ties with Iran, saying the two countries have managed to foil US bids to sabotage mutual relations.

Meanwhile and in a related development, Leader of Iraq’s National Wisdom Movement Seyed Ammar al-Hakim says his country has not given in to Washington’s pressures to comply with the US sanctions against Iran.

In comments on Thursday, Hakim said the current Iraqi government has not bowed to the US pressures for abiding by the sanctions that Washington has imposed against Iran.

“The Iraqi government tries to keep the balance in its relations with other countries in accordance with the international law, Iraq’s interests, as well as moral and humanitarian values,” the cleric added.