Tehran, YJC. -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei referred to the security of Iraq as Iran’s security, reaffirming Tehran's full support for the new Iraqi government.
Ayatollah Khamenei told the visiting
Iraqi prime minister that Tehran will continue all-out support for his
government, and slammed the trans-regional and some regional states for
the current crisis in the region, stressing that Iran will not trust the
so-called coalition against the ISIL terrorist group.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran considers security of Iraq, (which is) a brotherly and neighboring country, as its own security,” Imam Khamenei said Tuesday in a meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.
The Leader said the complex conditions in the region are such that the security of regional countries is indivisible.
Speaking in a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi in
Tehran on Tuesday evening, the Leader stressed that Iran will continue
its "resolute support for the new Iraqi government", and added, "The
current situation in the region, including Iraq, is the product of the
very irresponsible policies of the trans-regional powers and certain
regional countries in Syria, and these policies should be confronted
resolutely."
He further described Iraq as a "great, important and influential country in the region” and underlined Iran’s decisive support for the new government in Iraq.
The Leader also reiterated that the Iraqi people and government are well capable of dealing with the security problems in the country and have no need to foreign countries (to reestablish security).
He praised the valuable services rendered by former Iraqi premier, Nouri Al-Maliki, to Iraq, and stressed, "We are standing beside you and support your government seriously, like the previous one."
The Leader ensured the visiting premier that Tehran is still looking for stronger ties with Iraq, and vowed unsparing efforts in support of Baghdad.
He also praised Iraq's policy in recent years in support of Syria, and said Baghdad's decision not to allow its soil be used as a platform for attacks on Syria has been "a correct and wise policy".
Ayatollah Khamenei noted the claims made by the anti-ISIL coalition, and said, "We do not trust the honesty of those who make these words and believe that ISIL and terrorism should be remedied by the regional countries."
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution noted the recent separatist statements made by some ethnic groups in Iraq, and warned against the dire repercussions of such tendencies.
He endorsed the Iraqi government's policy of national, ethnical and tribal unity as a "fully correct" move, and underscored, "Iraq is a single geographical unit and separation of the Shiites, Sunnis, Arabs and Kurds in Iraq is meaningless."
The Iranian Leader further stated that election through democracy and on the basis of people's votes "is one of the advantages of the new Iraqi government", and said, "Some do not want to accept the happening of this reality in Iraq and the region, but this has taken place and the Iraqi government should protect this crucial achievement powerfully."
Also during the meeting, the Iraqi prime minister said he is much pleased to have his first trip to Iran after his election, and appreciated the Leader's "very good stances and the Islamic Republic of Iran's aids in Iraq's war with ISIL and the terrorists".
He lamented that certain countries in the region do not realize the threat of ISIL, "but we believe that we can go past this stage and push back the terrorists with the wisdom and insightfulness of the two Iraqi and Iranian nations and the support of religious scholars and Your Excellency's guidelines".
Al-Abadi also noted some plots hatched for dividing Shiite and Sunni Muslims, specially in his country, and said his administration is a "national unity government".
He further reiterated his resolve to further expand all-out relations and cooperation with Iran during his current visit.
Al-Abadi arrived in Tehran at the head of a high-ranking Iraqi delegation Monday night.
Iraqi side, for his part, said he was pleased to visit Iran in
his first official trip abroad after forming Iraq’s new government.
The
Iraqi premier appreciated the stances of the Supreme Leader and the
support provided by the Islamic Republic to Iraq in the fight against
the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
He also expressed his country’s resolve to develop ties with Iran in various fields.