Turkey and Iraq's foreign ministers spoke late Monday via phone on coordination between the two neighboring countries in the face of the global coronavirus pandemic.
"The two sides discussed ways to raise the prospects of bilateral cooperation and strategic coordination between the two countries towards regional and international issues," read a statement from the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.
The two counterparts also discussed "measures taken by both countries to confront the coronavirus."
"Minister Alhakim reaffirmed the consultation and coordination of positions between Baghdad and Ankara on issues of common concern," according to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.
The coronavirus death toll in Turkey reached 168 on Monday, with 10,827 positive cases, according to the country's health ministry.
As of Monday evening, Iraq has confirmed 630 infections, 46 deaths, and 152 recoveries.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Iraq now has the second highest number of COVID-19 related deaths across the Eastern Mediterranean region after Iran.
Iraq will likely see a "spike" in the number of COVID-19 infections within the coming 10 days due to the increase in lab testing capacity, WHO said on Monday.
A total of 787, 361 coronavirus cases have been confirmed since the outbreak began late last year, according to the Coronavirus Resource Center at John Hopkins University in the US.
By Zhelwan Z. Wali
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