Iraqi Foreign Ministry official calls for more ties with Iran

Iraqi Foreign Ministry official calls for more ties with Iran

File photo shows Iranian trucks parked at the Mehran border terminal, western Iran, and waiting for passage into Iraq.

Sun Jun 10, 2012 2:6PM GMT

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An Iraqi Foreign Ministry official has called for increasing cooperation between Tehran and Baghdad, especially in trade transactions and religious tourism.

Valid Hamid Shaltagh said the relations between Iran and Iraq cannot be harmed by potential problems and minor issues.

Shaltagh, heading a high-ranking delegation to Iran, made the comments in a meeting with senior officials of the western border province of Ilam.

Also in the meeting, Ilam Governor Mojtaba Alaee said some “good agreements” were made with the Iraqi delegation to facilitate economic and trade ties as well as religious tourism between the two countries.

Alaee added that there is a long history to cross-border connections between Iran and Iraq and expressed hope that such ties would lead to a more stable, powerful and developed Iraq.

On May 1, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said the trade volume between Tehran and Baghdad would reach a figure between 12 and 15 billion dollars in the current Iranian calendar year (started March 20).

Mehmanparast also put the amount the trade balance between Iran and Iraq in the previous Iranian year (ended March 19, 2012) at USD 9.7 billion.