Iraq’s Interior Minister: Cooperation with Iran vital for stability

Shafaq News – Baghdad / Tehran

Baghdad and Tehran agreed on Sunday to strengthen intelligence sharing and border enforcement after talks between Iran’s police chief Brig. Gen. Ahmad Reza Radan and senior Iraqi officials.

In a statement, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said Radan met Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari to discuss arms and drug smuggling, cross-border crime, and the implementation of existing security agreements. Al-Shammari pointed to coordinated operations that led to the arrest of major traffickers and individuals wanted for organized crimes.

Iran’s state-run Mehr News Agency reported that Radan also met Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Chief Faleh al-Fayyad, with discussions focused on smuggling along the "vulnerable" 1,600-kilometer frontier and closer intelligence coordination, amid what the agency described as Israeli incitement that has "fueled trafficking activity."

Read more: Iraqi–Iranian Security MoU rekindles a decade of border deals—and old controversies.