Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi receives his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Latif Rashid in Tehran, on April 29, 2023 (Mehr)

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi stressed on Saturday the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and Iraq, describing it as very important for the security of the two countries.

During a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Latif Rashid in Tehran, Raisi pointed out that negotiations between the countries of the region led to improving security and stability, while the US presence in the region harms its stability.

The Iranian President said the distinguished relations between Iran and Iraq lead to good cooperation at the regional and international levels.

He expressed his optimism about the visit of the Iraqi President and his accompanying delegation to Tehran, adding, "We hope, through the visit, to improve relations between the two countries."

Touching on combatting drug smuggling, Raisi underlined that Iran is at the forefront of the fight against drugs and that it has offered many martyrs in this course.

He noted that the United Nations has thanked the Iranian authority for supporting the fight against drugs several times, but it has not done much in this field.

Regarding water security, the Iranian President stressed that every country in the region must abide by its share of and right to water, affirming that Iran is committed to releasing water to Iraq in accordance with the agreements signed between the two countries.

#Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi welcomed his #Iraqi counterpart, Abdul Latif Rashid, in Tehran on Saturday morning. pic.twitter.com/LEgICzJb17
— Mehr News Agency (@MehrnewsCom) April 29, 2023

Iraqi people will not forget Iran's stance: Rashid

On his part, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid indicated that his visit to Iran comes to confirm the strength of the ties between Iraq and Iran, especially the historical and geographical ones.

Rashid said the Iraqi people will not forget the stance of the Islamic Republic when Iraq suffered from the oppression of the dictatorship.

The Iraqi President highlighted that the relations between Iraq and Iran are coherent and getting stronger, stressing the importance of boosting these relations through coordination and continuous cooperation at all levels.