Shafaq News – Ashgabat

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid said on Friday that any obstruction or pressure facing Iran would be considered an act of hostility toward Iraq.

According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, in a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Peace and Trust Forum in Ashgabat, Rashid described Tehran as a key regional neighbor, calling for deeper security and economic cooperation and closer coordination at international forums to address shared regional challenges.

On his part, Pezeshkian described Iran–Iraq relations as close and distinguished, affirming Tehran’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the Iraqi government and people.

He stressed expanding economic, academic, and industrial cooperation, pointing to joint investment, improved border connectivity, and closer links among traders, universities, and industries as priorities, while highlighting the Basra–Shalamcheh railway project as a key step toward strengthening bilateral ties.

Earlier at the forum’s opening session, Rashid urged dialogue to achieve fair understandings that protect the Iranian people’s right to a dignified life, noting that Iraq has emerged from years of isolation to play a more active role regionally and internationally.

Read more: Countdown to a wider war: WhyIraq is the most vulnerable link in regional escalation