Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Iran and Iraq are united against foreign interference and will not allow external powers to dictate their future. Speaking at an Arbaeen ceremony in Karbala, Iraq, Ghalibaf highlighted the deep historical, geographical, and religious bonds between the two nations, asserting that their shared resolve to resist external narratives has strengthened their relationship.
Ghalibaf urged both countries to build upon their existing security cooperation and pursue concrete joint projects aimed at achieving economic prosperity, enhancing living standards, and strengthening economic independence. He emphasized that their alliance is a source of strength, particularly recalling periods of crisis where they stood together.
In parallel, Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Aboudi reaffirmed Baghdad's commitment to its security agreement with Tehran, stressing Iraq's focus on strengthening relations with its neighbors. Al-Aboudi met with Ghalibaf to discuss regional developments and ways to expand bilateral ties, describing the Iran-Iraq relationship as historic and close, with Iraq's stability intrinsically linked to regional stability.
Ghalibaf's visit also included a stop at the site where IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Kataib Hezbollah head Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed in 2020. He asserted that foreign interference, particularly from the US, is diminishing in the region, and that the influence of the "Zionist regime" has no future.
