Iran, Iraq stress development of naval, security cooperation

Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi and Iraqi Navy Commander Vice Admiral Ali Hussein Ali underlined further expansion of naval and security cooperation between the two countries. During the meeting in Tehran on Monday, Fadavi and Hussein Ali underscored reinvigoration and development of bilateral relations and cooperation in naval, security and defense fields. Fadavi stressed that growth and development of the relations and cooperation between the Iranian and Iraqi naval forces plays an important role in the strengthening of regional security and stability. Confirming Fadavi's remarks, Hussein Ali described Iran-Iraq cooperation as beneficial to the regional nations, and announced his country's readiness to increase cooperation with Tehran, specially in naval fields. In a relevant development earlier this year, Rear Admiral Fadavi, and his accompanying high-raking military delegation, met with Iraq's senior commanders during a visit to the country's naval facilities. Fadavi held separate meetings with Iraq's acting defense minister, chief of staff of the army and Navy commander during his four-day visit to the neighboring country. He also paid a visit to the Iraqi Navy's operation center and Academy of Naval Sciences in the Southern cities of Basra and Um al-Qasr. In Baghdad, Fadavi met with Hussein Ali, during which he stressed the necessity for protecting Persian Gulf security by the Muslim states. He also rejected the alien states' presence in the sensitive region of the Persian Gulf which is the world's main energy supply route. Iranian officials have repeatedly warned the trans-regional states, specially the US, to pull their troops and warships out of the Persian Gulf, underlining the necessity for the establishment of security in the Persian Gulf through extensive and all-out cooperation among the regional states.