Iraqi PM: Baghdad stands by Tehran during hard times

Tehran, June 17, IRNA – Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi told Governor of Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Abdonnaser Hemmati that he has ordered that problems with the payments to Iran be solved. Al-Kadhimi said that Iraq will stand by Iran as Iran stood by Iraq during hard times, hoping that the sanctions will be removed soon. He stressed that Iraq will cooperate with Iran to solve the problems for payments of oil and natural gas. Al-Kadhimi said that he has given the necessary orders to the relevant officials. Agreeing with solving the money transfer problem by providing food and basic goods, al-Kadhimi said Iraqi merchants are interested to cooperate. Hoping that the oppressive sanctions against Iran will be removed soon, he said that Iraqi officials will use Iran’s experience in the fight against challenges. Trade is a goal of his government although coronavirus outbreak reduced trade; but it will increase in the near future, said al-Kadhimi, stressing that all the debts should be paid in full. Hemmati gave Iraqi prime minister the best regards of President Hassan Rouhani and thanked Iraq for all-out support for Iran. He said that he had hade constructive meetings with Iraqi minister of finance and the country’s Central Bank and had reached good agreements. He said that in the past few months, there were some problems, but today it was decided to use Iran’s sources in Iraq for providing basic goods.