Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday discussed relations between the two countries with his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Latif Rashid in Tehran, in the first official visit of the Iraqi president since his election in October 2022.
The Iranian news agency reported that the two sides discussed during the talks files of common interest between the two countries, as well as discussing how Iraq can pay its debts and dues to Iran in the energy export file, according to the agency.
The Iraqi president was accompanied by a high-level government delegation, according to the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).
In a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that his country rejects the foreign presence and the US presence in the region, and believes that regional dialogue will lead to strengthening security in the region and solving its problems.
He added that any attempts to destabilize security in Iraq are considered a threat to destabilize security in Iran, as he put it.
Iraq's Water Share
The official Iraqi news agency reported that Rashid "immediately upon his arrival at the historic Saadabad complex north of Tehran held joint talks with the Iranian president."
Rashid said during a press conference with his Iranian counterpart, "We have joint relations with Iran, and our visit to Tehran comes to confirm the relations between the two countries."
"Relations between Iraq and Iran are stable, coherent and unchangeable, and I congratulate the development in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia," he said.
The Iraqi president also stressed "the need for Iran to take into account Iraq's water share."
Iraq has been suffering from a continuous decline in water resources for years, and the water scarcity crisis has also exacerbated the country's low rainfall over the past years.
This is Abdul Latif Rashid's first visit to Tehran since his election as Iraq's president in October 2022.