Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif[/caption]TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a meeting with new Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi in Baghdad on Sunday explored avenues for the expansion of bilateral ties.
During the meeting, the Iranian foreign minister expressed the hope that the relations between Iran and the new Iraqi government would further expand under Al-Abadi.
Zarif expressed pleasure in the election of Al-Abadi as Iraq's new prime minister, and said that Iran and Iraq experienced satisfactory cooperation during former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki.
Zarif is in Iraq to meet with the Muslim neighboring nation's new cabinet members to felicitate the newly-appointed Baghdad officials on the formation of the new government and discuss bilateral and regional developments as well as the latest security conditions in Iraq.
Several high-ranking Iranian officials congratulated Al-Abadi and the Iraqi nation on his appointment as the new premier last week and expressed their support for the new government.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei hailed the appointment of the new Iraqi premier, saying that enemies' plot to push Iraq into further chaos through political disputes over premiership would be foiled once the new cabinet starts work.
Following Iran's approach, Maliki also dropped his bid and voiced support for al-Abadi in a show of unity which is much needed in the crisis-hit country which has come under a surge of terrorist attacks by savage Takfiri terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the last few months.
Iran and Iraq have enjoyed growing ties ever since the overthrow of the former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, during the 2003 US invasion of the Muslim country.
Iraq's Foreign Minister Houshyar Zebari was in Tehran in February. During his stay in the Iranian capital, Zebari and Zarif discussed mutual cooperation on economy and trade as well as joint efforts to address environmental issues.
By Fars News Agency
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