TEHRAN (IRNA) -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari lauded on Sunday Iran's positive stance in supporting the Iraqi nation and government.

According to the Information and Press Bureau of the Foreign Ministry, the Iraqi foreign minister made the remarks during a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Manuchehr Mottaki.

The two sides exchanged views on ways to expand mutual cooperation in various fields.

The Iraqi foreign minister invited his Iranian counterpart to pay an official visit to Iraq which was welcomed by Mottaki.

The Iranian foreign minister, for his part, expressed satisfaction with the political development in Iraq and congratulated his counterpart on the formation of the new Iraq National Council and underlined Iran's support for the Iraqi government, its nation as well as the country's national council.

Mottaki expressed the hope that with the new Iraqi government taking office, the country will witness restoration of stability and security as well as resolution of the country's problems in the near future.

The Iranian minister called for release of Iranian pilgrims kept in Iraqi prisons.

According to an expert at the Iraqi foreign ministry, Iraqi prisons hold some 200 Iranian pilgrims who went to visit holy shrines in Iraq illegally.