Iraq Seeking Iran's Help in Reconstruction Era

Iraqi Minister of Construction and Housing Bangen Rekani voiced his country's interest in Iranian firms' partnership in that country's reconstruction and development projects.

"My country welcomes the presence and participation of Iranian companies for reconstruction of different regions in Iraq," Rekani said in a meeting with Hassan Danayeefar, an advisor to Iranian first vice-president for economic relations with Iraq Hassan Danayeefar.

During the meeting, the two sides touched on the latest status of bilateral relations and topics of mutual interest, including ways to arrange for the payments of Iranian companies.

Danayeefar, for his part, said that the Iranian firms are ready to cooperate in the reconstruction process of Iraq which is damaged by the war on ISIL terrorists.

In relevant remarks on Sunday, Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi said that Iraq is an independent country and cares about its foreign relations, asserting that Baghdad will not bend to foreign pressures aimed at damaging ties with Tehran.

Iraq’s relations with Iran benefit both nations and will not be affected by foreign pressures, said Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi on Sunday in a meeting with advisor to Iranian first vice-president for Iraq affairs Hassan Danayeefar and Iran’s ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi in Baghdad.

"Iraq is an independent country and cares about its foreign relations, especially its economic ties with Iran, based on its national interests,” Iraqi prime minister noted, adding that “the relations are not going to the affected by the will and pressures of others.”

The Iraqi prime minister reiterated his position on unilateral US sanctions against the Iranian people, emphasizing that Iraqi economy is closely tied to Iran’s economy.

Iraq's stance on the US anti-Iran sanctions is like that of the EU, Russia, China and Japan, and Iraq will not be part of the sanctions system, Abdul-Mahdi stressed.

After hearing the Iranian officials’ viewpoints on problems regarding the expansion of bilateral relations between the two countries, the Iraqi prime minister promised to resolve them.

source: FARS News Agency