TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iraqi government has released 15 Iranian truck drivers detained in the country illegally, a senior MP announced on Saturday.15 Iranian drivers who had been detained illegally in Iraq were freed as a result of the efforts of related officials, member of the parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Fathollah Hosseini told FNA.
He called on the Iranian foreign ministry to increase efforts to release all Iranian drivers held in Iraq illegally, and said the legislature has invited the deputy foreign minister to elaborate on the situation of the Iranian drivers held in Iraq's prisons in a meeting at the parliament next Tuesday.
The truck drivers were carrying goods from Iran to Iraq to help the Iraqi people have better access to different commodities.
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.
Early December, top Iranian and Iraqi officials, in a joint news conference in Tehran, stressed the need for the further expansion of mutual cooperation in economic fields.
During the news conference, the Iranian first vice president and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki reiterated the necessity for increasing exchange of visits between the two countries businessmen and trade officials in a bid to further consolidate Iran-Iraq economic ties.
The Iranian first vice-president reiterated that enhancement of bilateral ties tops the agenda of both Tehran and Baghdad, and said the agreements between Tehran and Baghdad have provided proper opportunities for Iranian businessmen to play a bigger role in the gas and housing industries and other sectors in Iraq.
The Iraqi prime minister, pointed to his meeting with the Iranian first vice-president, and said, We agreed to have extensive activities and we also agreed on establishing different ways for conducting (joint) economic activities.
By Fars News Agency
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