TEHRAN Iraqi President Barham Salih says he has come to Iran with a clear message to further boost bilateral ties, days after Baghdad rejected a US deadline to stop importing Iranian gas under new American sanctions.
Barham arrived in Tehran Saturday at the head of a delegation, receiving an official welcome from President Hassan Rouhani who said the two neighbors can raise annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current level of $12 billion.
The two-day visit comes at a sensitive time when the US is pressuring regional countries to go along with Washington in squeezing Iran under new sanctions unveiled early this month.
But Iraqi officials have protested to the dictate and underlined Irans importance, including its place as the top trade partner of the Arab country.
I have come here today with a clear message from Baghdad: We appreciate the importance of relations with Iran and these economic, cultural and political relations are rooted in history, Salih said in a joint news conference with Rouhani.
Salih said the Iraqis will never forget Iran’s support in fighting terrorists, adding Daesh and other foreign-backed militants would not have been defeated without the assistance of the Iranian people.
“Iran played a big role in defeating terrorists in Iraq with the support which it provided us with,” he said.
Baghdad, he said, attaches great significance to the expansion of relations with Tehran, but much work is needed to be done to elevate the level of relations which both the Iraqis and Iranians deserve to enjoy.
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