Iranian, Iraqi Officials Discuss Expanding Defense, Security Cooperation - Reports

Iranian, Iraqi Officials Discuss Expanding Defense, Security Cooperation - Reports

Iran's military attache in Baghdad Mostafa Moradian and the chief of the Iraqi parliament's security and defense committee met on Friday to discuss ways of expanding bilateral defense and security cooperation, the IRNA news agency reported

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd July, 2020) Iran's military attache in Baghdad Mostafa Moradian and the chief of the Iraqi parliament's security and defense committee met on Friday to discuss ways of expanding bilateral defense and security cooperation, the IRNA news agency reported.

The two sides also reaffirmed commitment to implementing the existing defense agreements and building on them, according to Iran's official news agency.

During the meeting, senior Iraqi lawmaker Mohammed Redha Al-Haidar reiterated appreciation for Iran's assistance in fighting the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia), calling it an example of brotherly relations between the two countries.

Last week, the Iranian diplomat also met with Iraqi Defense Minister Juma Anad Saadoun to discuss bilateral cooperation, the news agency noted.

The news comes as Baghdad and Washington are in talks on the international coalition's troops presence in Iraq in the wake of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani's killing near Baghdad in January and the national parliament's subsequent vote to expel foreign troops. The US strongly opposes Iran's influence in Iraq.