Iran's President says Tehran, Baghdad share common concerns about Syria

Tehran, Jan 8 Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that his country and Iraq have common concerns about the ongoing developments in Syria.

He made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani following their meeting in the Iranian capital Tehran earlier in the day, according to a statement published on the website of his office.

Pezeshkian said he had discussed recent developments in the West Asia region with the Iraqi prime minister, listing some of the two countries' common concerns over Syria as ensuring stability and calm, maintaining its territorial integrity, countering terrorist activities, making Israel leave the occupied Syrian territories and paying attention to religious sentiments, especially with regard to Shiite Muslims' sacred sites and holy shrines in Syria.

He added the two sides also exchanged views on the risks of terrorism and the possibility of the reactivation of terrorist cells in the region, which required further cooperation between Iran and Iraq and their greater vigilance.

Pezeshkian said Iran had always wanted peace, stability and development for its neighbours, adding the country attached great importance to Iraq's security and growth and the Iraqi people's welfare.

The Iraqi prime minister, for his part, said his visit to Iran was within the framework of promoting bilateral cooperation and relations, noting, "We will make efforts to expand cooperation between Iraq and Iran to help ensure security and stability in both countries and prosperity in their ties with each other," according to the official news agency IRNA.

The Iraqi News Agency INA said Al-Sudani affirmed Iraq's commitment to building balanced relations with all international and regional parties to serve mutual interests.

On the Syrian situation, he said restoring calm to Syria was the key to regional stability, calling on all sides to contribute to the achievement of a comprehensive political solution in the country, one that would preserve the Arab state's sovereignty and territorial integrity and stop foreign interference.

Al-Sudani expressed Iraq's readiness for cooperation with all parties in Syria for a peaceful transition of government in a way that all Syrian groups were included, Xinhua news agency reported.

Heading a delegation, al-Sudani arrived in Tehran on Wednesday on a one-day trip for talks on bilateral ties as well as regional and international issues of common concern.

Source: IANS