Iran's president has hailed the formation of the new Iraqi government, saying Tehran supports Iraq's bid to join the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), PressTV reported.
"Through the vigilance and insight of Iraqi officials and different factions, the recent development in forming a government ended completely in the interests of Iraq despite the enemies and ill-wishers' attempts," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani on Thursday.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ECO's 11th summit in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Ahmadinejad reiterated Iran's support for the independence and security of all regional countries and said, "Iran considers Iraq's security, progress and development to its own and the region's benefit and completely supports it."
Referring to the importance of strengthening the two countries' ties with their neighbors, the Iranian president said the world's greatest economic polar would be established through this cooperation and in this way the enemies would not be able to impose their own demands.
Ahmadinejad also voiced Tehran's support for Iraq's bid to join the ECO, adding that Iran has suggested Iraq's request be reviewed in a meeting of the organization's foreign ministers.
ECO is an intergovernmental regional organization established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey with the aim of promoting economic, technical and cultural cooperation among member states.
The organization was expanded in 1992 to include seven new members, namely Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
ECO members intend to establish a single market for goods and services, much like the European Union.
The ECO secretariat and cultural department are located in Tehran while its economic bureau is in Turkey and its scientific bureau in Pakistan.
In another meeting with Kyrgyz President Roza Otunbayeva, Ahmadinejad said considering world's current situation, it was time regional countries improve their cooperation and ties.
"Expansion and improvement of political, economic and cultural relations is in favor of the two nations' progress, well being and security," the Iranian president said.
Otunbayeva, for her part, said strengthening ties with Iran was very important to her country and that Kyrgyzstan plans to promote cooperation with Iran.
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