News / Interviews

Iraqi PM's visit to Iran sets stage for strengthening ties: Analyst

Saturday, 06 April 2019 1:58 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 06 April 2019 2:09 PM ]

A handout picture provided by the Iranian presidency on April 6, 2019 shows Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi in the Iranian capital Tehran. (Photo by AFP)

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi’s visit to Iran is “very important”, says an analyst, adding that it sets the stage for a further strengthening of bilateral ties.

“The timing of the [Iraqi] prime minister’s visit to Tehran is very important, it is vital to show that the relationship between Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran is as strong as it was and it is required from the Iranian government to have a new strategy dealing with Iraq that is now... expanding its relationship to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt and also Turkey. So it is important to look at the region now with new eyes, with new ideas, forming a new alliance, new strategy to face an ever-changing world with ever-changing policies in the region,” Saad al-Muttalibi, former political adviser to the Iraqi government told Press TV in an interview on Saturday.

“So the visit is very important, the reception is very important and it was declared as very successful and very well-organized. So that I think is a prelude to look at the region with new eyes and to have new strategies. It is required from Iran to look with new eyes to Iraq and expand the relationship in such a manner that will benefit the two countries and will benefit the region also,” he added.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi is in Iran for his first official visit since he took office, in a further sign that Baghdad is serious about maintaining close ties with Tehran despite US pressures.

It comes right on the heels of President Hassan Rouhani's trip to Baghdad last month and the two neighbors' pledge to boost the already flowering trade to $20 billion in two years from $12 billion today.

Rouhani's landmark visit to Iraq last month marked the signing of several memorandums of understanding for expansion of cooperation in key sectors and meeting with top political and religious figures.

Prime Minister Abdul-Mahdi's visit to Iran also comes after a Saudi delegation traveled to Baghdad to reopen the kingdom's consulate in Iraq.

Saudi Minister of Trade Majid bin Abdullah al-Qasabi led a business delegation to Iraq as part of efforts to enhance ties between the two nations.

Riyadh has viewed Iraq's proximity to Iran with enmity. This is while Iraqi leaders have repeatedly praised Iran's role in helping the Arab country confront the Takfiri menace.

Iraqi officials have frequently accused Saudi Arabia of aiding and abetting the Daesh terrorist group, which was largely defeated in Iraq and Syria in late 2017.