Iranian parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stressed on Monday that Tehran and Baghdad were “determined in supporting the resistance front.”
He received his Iraqi counterpart Mahmoud al-Mashhadani in Tehran for talks on regional developments, most notably in Syria.
Ghalibaf said Mashhadani’s visit was “significant” given the development in the region, adding that Iran and Iraq play a “pivotal role” in achieving security and stability in in western Asia.
“The Iranian and Iraqi leaderships must firmly believe in their country’s role in affecting developments in the region,” he added, according to the Iranian parliament website.
“We won’t allow anyone to question this major role and influence,” he went on to say.
On the ceasefire in Gaza, he described it as an “unprecedented failure for the Zionist entity throughout its 75-year illegal existence.”
He said Israel had long boasted of its defense capabilities “believing it can eliminate Hezbollah and seize southern Lebanon. It has not achieved any of its strategic goals in proving that it is invincible or in breaking the resistance front.”
“Despite its losses, the resistance front managed to persevere ... dealing the Zionist enemy a defeat,” Ghalibaf stated.
On Syria, he warned of “political conspiracies by the enemy following its military defeat.”
He called for the formation of a “new inclusive Syrian government that would prevent the reemergence of terrorist groups, such as ISIS, which may threaten the whole region.”
“There is no doubt that the United States and Zionist enemy are behind all conspiracies,” he continued, urging Iraq to work with Iran in confronting them.
For his part, Mashhadani said his visit to Tehran was taking place during a “critical time” in the region.
He underlined Iraq and Iran’s important role in the region and the need for cooperation to confront challenges, most notably in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
From Iraq’s position as Syria’s neighbor, he underlined the importance of stability and security, saying all segments of Syrian society must play a role in running the country.
