Supreme Leader receives Iraqi President Talabani

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, June 26, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei received Iraqi President Jalal Talabani here on Saturday.

In the meeting here, the Supreme Leader said that the US interfering presence in Iraq is the source of problems in the country and in the region.

According to a report published in the Supreme Leader's website, Ayatollah Khamenei called the US interfering and appropriator presence in Iraq as source of problems in the country and in the region and stressed that in spite of such presence, events and current incidents indicated that the US Middle Eastern policies are weakening and nations should take advantage of the reality.

Expressing pleasure with Iraqi government for taking strong steps to solve problems, the Ayatollah noted that Iraqi great nation and its officials have successfully passed difficult passages and now are departing from those hard years' situations ad that through their patience, bravery and wise views they can solve the remaining problems, too.

He underlined expansion of cooperation between Iran and Iraq and called the cooperation as a natural event and a show of brotherhood and real friendship among the two nations and added that the armed forces of both countries have fought for eight years, but the two nations have no opacity of each others now, because they know that the ex-regime of Saddam Hossein was imposing that war against the two nations.

Referring to good relations between officials of Iran and Iraq, the Supreme Leader said that efforts to weaken such friendly ties would be failed and added that in light of deep religious and cultural ties, relations between the two nations and governments are getting consolidated day by day.

Ayatollah Khamenei said that unity among Iraqi factions will cause strength for the country's stances and continued that the Americans for continuation of their presence in Iraq are counting on disunion and disperse among Iraqi factions, so different factions should behave wisely to prevent such intentions of the US.

During the meeting, in which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was also present, the Iraqi president, by referring to the deep historical ties between Iran and Iraq, said that economic, political and cultural relations between Tehran and Baghdad are developing and expressed hope that Iraq could be able to rebuild its infra-structures by using Iran's experiences and technical abilities.

President Talabani added that all Iraqi groups and factions have the same views on progress and development for the country and they all oppose the US military presence in Iraq.

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