Iranian FM holds talks with UN chief, Iraqi counterpart
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in a phone conversation on Saturday exchanged views about top regional and international developments.
Zarif also on Saturday held talks with his Iraqi counterpart Mohamed Ali Alhakim on ways to promote bilateral relations.
During the telephone conversation, the two foreign ministers discussed an upcoming visit by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to Baghdad.
The Iranian president is set to pay an official visit to Baghdad on March 11 to hold talks with senior Iraqi officials about the expansion of relations between the two neighbors amid US sanctions against Tehran.
According to the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alhakim told Zarif that Baghdad was keen to promote cooperation with Tehran in various fields.
Both sides reviewed the latest regional and international developments, the ministry added.
Back in January, the Iranian foreign minister paid a five-day visit to Baghdad at the head of a political and economic delegation and held talks with the country’s authorities.
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 had managed to foil US bids to sabotage Tehran-baghdad relations.
“After [achieving] victory against Daesh, some countries, including the US, have created certain problems in the way of the two countries’ cooperation, but fortunately, they were defused thanks to the wisdom of the two countries’ officials,” he added.