STORY: Iran's president says Tehran, Baghdad share common concerns about Syria
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 8, 2025
DATELINE: Jan. 9, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:14
LOCATION: Tehran
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the meeting and the joint press conference

STORYLINE:

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday that his country and Iraq have common concerns about the ongoing developments in Syria.

After meeting earlier in the day with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani in Iran's capital of Tehran, the two leaders held a joint press conference in which the remarks were made, Pezeshkian's office stated on its website.

Pezeshkian said that Iran and Iraq have common concerns about maintaining Syria's stability and territorial integrity, countering terrorist activities, making Israel leave the occupied Syrian territories, and paying attention to religious sentiments, especially with regard to Shiite Muslims' sacred sites and holy shrines in Syria.

The Iranian president added that the two sides exchanged views on the risks of terrorism and the possibility of reactivating terrorist cells in the region. Pezeshkian maintained that this threat would require heightened vigilance and further cooperation between Iran and Iraq.

Pezeshkian said that Iran had always wanted peace, stability, and development for its neighbors. He added that the country attached great importance to Iraq's security and growth and the welfare of its people.

The Iraqi prime minister, for his part, said his visit to Iran was within the framework of promoting bilateral cooperation and relations, noting, "We will make efforts to expand cooperation between Iraq and Iran to help ensure security and stability in both countries and prosperity in their ties with each other," according to the official news agency IRNA.

Al-Sudani affirmed Iraq's commitment to serving mutual interests by building balanced relations with all international and regional parties.

Al-Sudani said that restoring calm to Syria was the key to regional stability. He called on all sides to contribute to a comprehensive political solution that would preserve the Arab state's sovereignty and territorial integrity while stopping foreign interference.

The Iraqi prime minister expressed his country's readiness to cooperate with all parties in Syria for a peaceful, inclusive transition of government.

Heading a delegation, al-Sudani arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for a single day of talks on bilateral ties as well as regional and international issues of common concern.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tehran.
(XHTV)