Ahmadi-Nejad's visit to Iraq
Iraq-Iran, Politics, 3/5/2008

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad wound up his official visit to Baghdad and left Iraq on Monday.

During his stay, Ahmadi-Nejad met and conferred with senior Iraqi officials and people from different walks of life and signed seven memoranda of understanding.

The MoUs were related to cooperation on customs and insurance affairs as well as their cooperation in the fields of industry, transportation and development of mining industries.

Ahmadi-Nejad said that his Iraq visit thwarted plots of enemies to isolate the Iraqi nation and government. "Many wanted to isolate the Iraqi government and nation. In this visit their wish was neutralized," said President Ahmadi-Nejad at a press conference when asked why his visit has received wide media coverage worldwide.

"Moreover, there were much propaganda that the two (Iranian and Iraqi nations) were not pleased with each other. Such claim proved to be unfounded," he added.

On Iranian and Iraqi border issues, Ahmadi-Nejad said, "We have signed agreement on border issues and based on the deal we have formed joint committees, which are working on the issues."

The president said "The Iraqi nation is a fact and reality. We have been living beside each other for hundreds of years and will continue to live with each other in the future too. In our opinion the exchange of visits should be publicized principally." President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad said on Monday that his Iraq visit thwarted plots of enemies to isolate the Iraqi nation and government.

"Many wanted to isolate the Iraqi government and nation. In this visit their wish was neutralized," said President Ahmadi-Nejad at a press conference when asked why his visit has received wide media coverage worldwide.

"Moreover, there were much propaganda that the two (Iranian and Iraqi nations) were not pleased with each other. Such claim proved to be unfounded. These are two from among several reasons which put the visit atop world media reports," he added.

Ahmadi-Nejad said enemies of Iran and Iraq are afraid of the two nations convergence.

Iraq's Ambassador to China Mohammad Sabir Ismail said on Monday that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad's visit to Baghdad was very important and that it opened a new chapter in the history of bilateral cooperation.

Ismail also said that the Iraqi government and people attaché great importance to the visit by the Iranian president to Iraq, expressing hope that the negotiations between officials of both sides would benefit the two nations and regional countries.

The Iraqi diplomat referred to the determination of the Iraqi government to develop ties between the two nations in all political, economic and cultural fields.

He said that Iran-Iraq cooperation will help maintain security and stability in the Middle East.

Asked about the US allegations against Iran, he said that Iraq will not pay attention to such rhetoric and propaganda, but it gives priority to the satisfactory relations between the two neighboring states.

Tehran and Baghdad enjoy good relations and are able to resolve all issues through diplomatic ways, the ambassador added.


Iraqi Ambassador to Iran Mohammad Majeed al-Sheikh had said that the volume of Iraq-Iran trade at $ 2.4 billion, calling for expansion of mutual cooperation in all fields.

Referring to the exporting electricity to Iraq, he underlined that Iran has launched some electricity projects in the cities of Shalamcheh and Basra which are in final stages.

He also termed the Tehran-Baghdad cultural and medical cooperation as proper, adding the bilateral cooperation in this regard is very good and effective.

"We want to prove to the world that negotiations is the only solution to any problem," he observed. The envoy voiced his country readiness to release some of the Iranian prisoners, adding currently a few Iranian prisoners are behind bars in Badreh Prison and negotiations are underway to release them.

Referring to boosting bilateral cultural cooperation, the ambassador concluded that currently the issuance of visas for Iranian pilgrims have increased.

President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad said Monday that foreigners should leave the region. "The regional nations would like foreigners to leave the region," said President Ahmadi-Nejad at a press conference.

President Ahmadi-Nejad said, "In our opinion the Iraqi nation and government can handle their own affairs very well. All should let the Iraqi nation and government manage their country themselves." He said that a powerful and developed Iraq will benefit all nations as well as regional peace, security and stability.

A united and independent Iraq is a gift for all regional states, said Ahmadi-Nejad, adding that all should try to help Iraq gain a status it deserves.

The president said the big powers, being thousands of kilometers away, should avoid interfering in the internal affairs of regional countries and let them run their affairs themselves.

He said the region would be more secure and more peaceful without presence of foreigners and "We think a great service the big powers can offer to the region is their respect for the nations' votes and views."

He went on to say that regional nations have gained nothing from foreigners' presence but ruins, misery, humiliation and insult. He added, "The big powers themselves, which have come there from thousands of kilometers away, have gained nothing too."

He noted that the only thing the big powers have got in the region is regional people's more hatred of them. Addressing Iraqi and foreign media in Iraq, President said he is visiting Iraq upon an invitation of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and in response to his earlier Tehran visit.

He added that furthermore, Iran will implement giant industrial projects in Iraq with a total credit of one billion dollars, that would be provided by Iran.

The Iranian official said the two sides had also held "constructive" talks on regional issues. In the meetings, Iranian and Iraqi officials re-emphasized the need for promotion of bilateral ties. Prior to the press conference, the president told reporters "The world should know that Iran and Iraq will stand by each other."

President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad was officially welcomed by President Jalal Talabani on Sunday. He arrived in Baghdad heading a high-ranking political and economic delegation on his two-day official visit.

Previous Stories:
  Iraq - Iran talks to settle border issues   (2/19/2008)
  Ahmadi-Nejad's visit to Iraq, no US talks yet   (2/19/2008)

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