Al-Halbousi from Tehran: Iran's stability reflects positively on Iraq

BAGHDAD-INA

Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi stressed Wednesday that Iran's stability reflects positively on Iraq, while stressing the need to preserve sovereignty and good neighborliness and protect the rights of citizens.

Al-Halbousi said in a press conference held in Tehran with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and followed by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the parliaments represent the peoples and strive to promote everything that can be reflected on their people," stressing "the continuity of cooperation between the two neighboring countries because the stability of Iran reflects positively on Iraq and vice versa.”

He added, "We are working to completely restore stability in the region by taking serious steps, and our peoples we represent are looking forward to better relations, and that these steps will be reflected in what secures their future in security and economic stability, and removes the danger and specter of wars and crises," stressing that "preserving sovereignty, good neighborliness and protecting the rights of citizens, are the general principles that must be fixed in the relations between the countries of the region and between the two neighboring countries.”

Al-Halbousi stressed “the importance of having common positions for the countries of the region in the international parliament, and for us as neighbors, because the challenges we face are mostly common ones,” noting that “Iran has been subjected to economic problems and sanctions, and Iraq has been subjected to terrorist attacks and we have been exposed to global crises and the Corona pandemic, and there were negative years passed by our peoples, as well as repeated violations of the sovereignty of states, so we must turn this page and remove all obstacles and move forward with new open practical steps."

He continued, "It is not permissible to impose sanctions on peoples, nor should it be intimidated by empowering armed gangs," explaining, "There will be a better future and we look forward to better relations.
 
Al-Halbousi expressed his hope that “the parliaments in both countries will take their role in pushing the government forward and removing the obstacles that faced the work of previous governments,” pointing out that “they seek to provide the requirements that the executive authority needs, including procedures and legislative decisions that facilitate interaction between the two governments.”