Iran is fully prepared to cooperate with the Iraqi government in providing security and fighting terrorism, says Iran’s ambassador to Iraq.

“Iran has proven its readiness to help the Iraqi government in providing security along borders and forming a strong barrier against terrorism by signing a defense agreement recently with Iraq,” the Iranian ambassador to Baghdad, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, told IRNA.
In a recent visit of the Iraqi premier, Nouri al-Maliki, and his delegation to Tehran, the two countries’ defense ministers signed an agreement on further cooperation in restoring peace and security to the region.
On the Iraq-U.S. security pact, he said the U.S. seeks to sign a security pact with Iraq which is ‘aimed at imposing its will on the Iraqi government and perpetuating the occupation of the country.’
Washington has been in talks with the Iraqi government over a long-term security treaty as the UN mandate in Iraq is to expire in December. The United Nations mandate authorizes the presence of foreign troops in the country.
The U.S.-proposed Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) seeks 50 full-scale military bases throughout Iraq, immunity from prosecution under Iraqi law for its military and other personnel and the right to arrest Iraqi citizens at will.
Kazemi Qomi concluded by saying that the agreement was unlikely to be signed as Washington blatantly disregards the Iraqis’ rightful requests as well as violating the country’s national sovereignty and independence.
(Source: Press TV)