Iran Press/Iran news: Parviz Esmaeili said that President Rouhani is scheduled for an official three-day visit to neighboring Iraq at the official invitation of his Iraqi counterpart, Barham Salih and Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi on March 11.
Upon Rouhani's arrival in Baghdad, the Iranian president will hold talks with his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih and will exchange views on the regional cooperation as well, Iran Press reported.
High-ranking officials of the two countries in separate meetings will review the latest situation with regards to implementation of agreements between Tehran and Baghdad, as well as new opportunities for developing and deepening bilateral ties, according to Parviz Esmaeili.
Meeting with the speaker of the Iraqi parliament, participating in a business forum in the presence of public and private sectors of the two countries, and also holding talks with other senior Iraqi officials are on the itinerary of president Rouhani during his visit to Baghdad.
Iranian President speaking with the new ambassador of Iraq to Tehran on Saturday while receiving his letter of credence stated that there are ample potentials for further development of relations between Tehran and Baghdad.
Also, the Iranian ambassador to Iraq, Iraj Masjedi said on Saturday that President Hassan Rouhani's upcoming visit to Baghdad will be a turning point in Iran-Iraq relations and will cover a host of bilateral issues.
According to Masjedi, Rouhani will meet the great Shia scholar and source of emulation, Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali al-Sistani in the holy city of Najaf.
Iran's ambassador to Iraq believes that strengthening of cooperation between Tehran and Baghdad is the focus of the president's trip Tehran's goal is to reach the trade volume of $20 billion a year with Iraq.
According to Masjedi, Khorramshahr-Basra railway project, the expansion of industrial settlements, visa waiver for Iraqi and Iranian citizens, and the customs and healthcare cooperation are some of the most important joint projects which will be inaugurated during president Rouhani's visit to Baghdad.
The Iranian ambassador also noted that the implementation of the 1975 Algiers Agreement will be addressed during the trip.
The 1975 Algiers agreement was signed to settle the two countries’ border disputes and conflicts, but the former Iraqi dictator, Saddam, refused to accept it and it became a pretext for invading Iran in 1980. 105/211/205
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