Iran’s Rouhani Seeks To Boost Ties On First Visit To Baghdad

[ThunderBlade + 231]

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was in Baghdad on Monday, making his first official visit to the nation that Tehran once fought a bloody war against and later backed in the battle with the Islamic State group. Since Rouhani’s election in 2013, Iraq has relied on Iranian paramilitary support to fight IS, following the militant group’s capture of the Iraqi city of Mosul and other territory in both Iraq and Syria. Now with the militants facing a final territorial defeat in the Syrian village of Baghouz, Iran is looking for Iraq’s continued support as it faces a maximalist pressure campaign by President Donald Trump after his decision to withdraw America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. Tehran also made political connections with Iraq’s Shiite leaders, who had been persecuted by Saddam’s government. Iran’s former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became the first Iranian president to visit Iraq on a trip in 2008. Iraq and Iran share a 1,400-kilometer-long (870 miles) border.

[pinto + 293]

3 days? 
 

[ThunderBlade + 231]

3 minutes ago, pinto said:

3 days? 
 

Iran Tries to Expand Business in Iraq....
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/11/world/middleeast/iran-iraq-rouhani.html

 

[Pavel + 384]

Sunnis & shias, it's hard to believe that they can find coexistence of. 

[50 shades of black + 254]

Trade tries? "We will send you terrorist for, I don't know, sand..."

[damirUSBiH + 327]

Iraq is an arena where many conflicts are played out. Iraq faces many challenges but also has many historic opportunities....

[Pavel + 384]

I believe that citizens in Basra, Baghdad, Mosul and Sulaimani all want the same thing: freedom, dignity and good governance. Also, I dont believe in  good intensions of Iran. The victory Iraq achieved against ISIS is important but we must not underestimate the dangers ISIS still pose. Why? ISIS pockets still remain.

Edited March 11, 2019 by Pavel

[rainman + 263]

Iraq was a base for an attack against anyone from anyone.  I hope better times are coming.

[John Foote + 1,135]

Don't complete forget the Iran/Iraq war of the 80s. Not too concerned about the two sides become true friends.

But they are neighbors and getting along some is good for everyone. And the US is the one that took out the folks keeping Iran from adventuring eastward.