Baku, Azerbaijan, June 17
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Tehran on June 17 to hold talks with Iranian officials on recent regional developments.
Upon arrival, al-Abadi was welcomed by Iranian Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade, Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh at Mehrabad international airport, Iran 's official IRNA news agency reported June 17.
The Iraqi prime minister is scheduled to hold meetings with senior Iranian officials including foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, head of the Expediency Discernment Council.
Boosting mutual cooperation, the latest regional and global developments as well as fighting terrorism will be discussed in the meetings.
Some western and Iraqi media have underscored the significant role of Iranian forces in fighting against the IS (Islamic State) group which made advances in northern and western Iraq since summer 2014, after capturing swaths of northern Syria.
The media reports say Iranian forces have a decisive presence on the battlefield of the fight.
Meanwhile Iranian officials said the Islamic Republic gives only advice and organizational structure to Iraqi forces.
The IS group has killed several high-ranking staff of Iran 's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in Iraq during the conflict in recent months.
Edited by CN