Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein spoke at a joint press conference in Teheran on January 18 after an earlier meeting between the two leaders.
“We are working to achieve a joint agreement on security issues with Iraq,” Araghchi said, reported Sputnik. He pointed to the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Al-Asad Airbase in the west of Iraq as “proof of the strengthening of our security cooperation with Iraq.”
This could be a good opportunity for Iraq to demonstrate that it takes Iran’s security seriously. The most significant organized opposition to the Iranian government is among Kurdish groups that have operated in Iraq. Iran seeks guarantees that Iraq’s Kurdish regions will not be the source of destabilizations.
Hussein said that “his visit to Tehran reflects the strong and longstanding ties between the two neighbors, including in economic, cultural, and political fields,” reported Al Mayadeen news service. “He stressed the importance of continued communication between Baghdad and Tehran to address the evolving regional situation.”
The Iraqi News also noted that prior to his trip to Tehran, Hussein spoke with other the foreign ministers of several nations—including France, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia—about U.S.-Iran tensions.
