Iraqi visa for Iranians to 'remain but free of charge'

Baghdad, March 11, IRNA- Iraq has agreed to issue visas for Iranians free of charge, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said on Monday following signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) that included visa. “Iran proposed that Iraqi visas [for Iranians] be eliminated [altogether] however the Iraqi side requested it to remain,” President Rouhani said on Monday during a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi after the two signed five MoUs. “It was agreed that Iraqi visa remain but free of charge,” Rouhani told reporters. Also, Iranian president’s deputy chief of staff for communications and information Parviz Esmaeili has tweeted that visas for pilgrims and tourists from both countries “will be free of charge by the end of March.' Iran's president arrived in Baghdad earlier today. His visit to Iraq is taking place upon the official invitation of his counterpart President Barham Salih and also Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi. During his three-day stay in Iraq, President Rouhani is also to confer with the senior Iraqi cleric, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Sistani. Exploring avenues for promoting bilateral relations in the political, economic and cultural fields are among the main objectives of the Iranian president’s official visit to Iraq. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif travelled to Iraq on Saturday to do the necessary arrangements for President Rouhani’s official visit to the neighboring state.