Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani and Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei in Iran, Tehran, November 29, 2022

Iran's security is that of Iraq, and Iran's security is affected by the security of Iraq, Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei said Tuesday during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani.

"Iran will be there to counter whatever destabilizes Iraq's security," Sayyed Khamenei said. "We are prepared to give our lives in defense of Iraq."

The Iranian Leader then told the Iraqi premier that there are various regions in his country that are "being used to undermine Iran's security, and the solution is for the central government in Iraq to exert its control there."

There are various parties that oppose the development of Iraq, Sayyed Khamenei added. "It is possible that they will not show their hostility, but they will not accept a government like the Iraqi one."

Newly elected Al-Sudani landed in Tehran on an official visit on Tuesday morning to discuss bilateral relations and other issues concerning the neighboring countries.

Al-Sudani arrived in Iran's capital heading a high-ranking delegation of political and economic officials and figures, who will meet with an Iranian delegation within the same fields.

The president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ebrahim Raisi and the Iraqi PM held a press conference, where Iran's President expressed deep appreciation of the visit, adding that Iran's "relations with Iraq are not ordinary relations, our relations are rooted in the beliefs of the two nations that have brought the two nations and the two governments together."

President Raisi also reiterated the importance of the agreements between the two countries that share a massive border in creating a more stable region unthreatened by terrorists and drug networks.

For his part, the Prime Minister of Iraq stated that bilateral relations were discussed with the Iranian President, including the security cooperation between the countries.

This trip is the first visit of an Iraqi official to Iran following the formation of the new Iraqi government.

Iran, Iraq security one and the same

During his meeting with Sayyed Khamenei, Al-Sudani stressed that under the Iraqi constitution, no party is allowed to use Iraqi soil to inflict harm upon neighboring countries.

"Iran and Iraq's security are one and the same," he said. "The Iraqi government is committed to implementing the bilateral agreements reached with Iran and developing its ties with it, especially in the economic sector."

Iranian sources told Al Mayadeen that there is no truth to what was reported by the Financial Times about a threat of a ground operation in northern Iraq by the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force Commander, General Qaani, during his visit to Baghdad.

The sources confirmed that General Qaani "did not talk to Iraqi officials regarding the matter and did not threaten a ground or non-land invasion of northern Iraq."

It is noteworthy that Iran's ambassador to Baghdad, Mohammad Kazem Al-e Sadeq, said that "the commander of the Quds Force visited Iraq and met the three presidents," noting that "Iran has agreed with the central government and the authorities of the Kurdistan region to deploy Iraqi forces at the borders of Kurdistan."

Subsequently, the Iraqi government decided to draw up a plan for the redeployment of Iraqi forces along the borders with Iran and Turkey, which it said was "a plan to redeploy the Iraqi border forces to hold the zero line along the borders with the two countries."

According to the Fars news agency, the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad, Al-e Sadeq, confirmed Baghdad's approval of Tehran's request that the central government fully control the borders between the two countries.