Middle East
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (left) and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani (right). Photo: AP/Sudani’s office
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani in a phone call on Sunday congratulated Joseph Aoun on his recent election as the country’s president and reiterated Baghdad’s support for Beirut, according to Sudani’s office.
During the call, the two leaders discussed the strong ties between Iraq and Lebanon and emphasized the importance of enhancing bilateral relations to serve the interests of both nations, a statement from Sudani’s office read.
“The Prime Minister also reaffirmed Iraq’s support for Lebanon in various fields, highlighting the need to work towards Lebanon’s stability to help the country overcome the aftermath of the recent war,” it added.
Lebanon’s parliament on Thursday elected army chief Joseph Aoun as president after his rival withdrew from the race, ending more than two years of power vacuum in the country that has been divided as a result of sectarianism.
On Friday, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid also congratulated Lebanon’s new president on his election.
Late last year, more than 20,000 Lebanese nationals sought refuge in Iraq after their towns and cities came under an Israeli offensive.
Baghdad welcomed the refugees as “guests of Iraq.” A large majority of them stayed in the holy Shiite cities of Karbala and Najaf, where they were being aided by religious authorities in addition to the Iraqi government, with half of them having returned by Saturday, according to Iraq’s migration ministry.
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