Talabani: Iraq-Iran ties getting “better”

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on Friday said that Iraqi-Iranian relations are beginning to expand towards “the better”, according to a presidential press release. “Talabani received on Friday (Jan. 16) a delegation from the Iranian foreign ministry under its official spokesman, Hassan Qashqavi, accompanied by the Iranian ambassador to Iraq Hassan Kadhemi Qomi as well as a number of Iranian newspaper editors and TV station directors,” read the release as received by IraqiNews.com news agency. “The Republic of Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran are bonded by strong ties in several fields and these ties have now started to expand towards the better,” Talabani was quoted in the statement as replying to Iranian reporters’ questions. Talabani hoped the “coming stage would witness more cooperation between the two countries in the fields of trade, industry and culture to the high interests of the two friendly peoples”. The release quoted Qashqavi as calling for “more cooperation to strengthen relations between Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran”. AmR (P) 1