Iran’s foreign minister in Iraq on trade mission
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Baghdad Sunday afternoon on a trade mission.
He also said Iraq is in favor of Syria regaining its membership of the Arab League.
Iran and Iraq share a nearly 1,500 kilometre long border and have close trade ties. Iraq depends on its neighbour for natural gas to keep its power grid supplied.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Baghdad last week to convince Iraqi leaders to end their energy independence on Iran ahead of having to comply with sanctions imposed after Washington withdrew from the nuclear deal.
Zarif met with his Iraqi counterpart Mohammed Ali al-Hakim. He is expected to attend trade conferences in Karbala and Sulaimani.
"We discussed the unilateral economic measures taken by the US and are working with our neighbour (Iran) on them," Hakim told a joint press conference following his two-hour meeting with Zarif.
He also said Iraq is in favor of Syria regaining its membership of the Arab League.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Baghdad last week to convince Iraqi leaders to end their energy independence on Iran ahead of having to comply with sanctions imposed after Washington withdrew from the nuclear deal.
Last updated 9.23 pm