TEHRAN - Iraqi President Barham Salih met with Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad Iraj Masjedi on Monday, Ain Al-Iraq News Agency reported, according to ISNA.

The meeting at this time is highly important as President Salih, a Kurd, returned to Baghdad Sulaimaniyah after he announced on Dec. 26 that he was ready to resign.

On December 26, Salih refused to designate the nominee of the Bina parliamentary bloc for prime minister, saying he would rather resign than appoint someone to the position who would be rejected by protesters. However, some sources say there was another reason behind Salih’s threat to resign.

The meeting with the ambassador also took place immediately one day after the United States launched a series of attacks on forces linked to the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). About 25 forces were killed and about 50 injured. 

President Salih and Ambassador Masjedi held talks over the importance of stability in Iraq and respecting this country’s “national will” without foreign interferences.

The two sides also attached importance to independence and stability in Iraq which will help regional security.

Public protests have gripped Baghdad and southern and central Iraq since October.

Yielding to the protesters' demands, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned Nov. 29.

During a meeting with Salih in October, Masjedi said that Tehran supports stability, security and economic development in Iraq.

He said that Iran will help Iraq to reconstruct war-torn areas.

In a separate meeting of Masjedi with Ammar Hakim, the chief of the National Wisdom Movement of Iraq, in October, the two sides stressed that dialogue and peaceful means are only remedies to the ongoing crises in the regional countries.

The two sides discussed regional developments as well as the current situation in Iraq.

“The regional countries would benefit from talks and not conflicts,” Masjedi and Hakim said during the meeting, Fars reported.

“Everyone’s interest lies in using the tool of talks and keeping the region away from any conflict that could affect regional and global security,” Hakim said.

NA/PA