TEHRAN- Mahmoud Khoshnaw, a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) party, has attached “great importance” to the latest visits between officials of Iran and Iraq, saying the two neighboring countries need each other, according to an Iraqi news agency.

“The Patriotic Union supports the balance of international relations. Iraq needs Iran, and Iraq is also in need of Iran,” the al-Maalomah news agency quoted Khoshnaw as saying on Tuesday. 

“Implementing economic agreements is a very important issue, given the current circumstances. The government should draw on the visits, especially the latest Iranian and French visits. We support them if they are in the interest of the country,” added the Iraqi Kurdish politician, referring to the recent visits by the foreign ministers of Iran and France to Iraq.

Khoshnaw also said that he welcomes the international openness to support Iraq in the future. 

On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi visited Tehran to discuss ties between Iran and Iraq. The prime minister met a number of high-ranking Iranian officials including President Hassan Rouhani, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Earlier on Sunday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif paid a visit to Iraq and met many Iraqi political and military officials. 

SM/PA