ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An Iraqi delegation led by National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji on Monday met with top Iranian security officials in Tehran to discuss the implementation of a joint security agreement amid regional conflict.
The Iraqi delegation met Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Ahmad Akbarian.
“The meeting reviewed aspects of the joint security agreement between the two countries and the details of its implementation, in addition to discussing ways to strengthen security and political cooperation between Baghdad and Tehran,” according to a statement from Araji’s office in a Facebook post.
In March 2023, Iraq and Iran signed a security pact that saw Baghdad agree to disarm Kurdish opposition groups and secure the border areas. Tehran had previously warned it would resort to military measures if Baghdad failed to fulfill the agreement.
In September, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani hosted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for talks that resulted in the signing of 14 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering various sectors from security to economic and cultural cooperation.
Iran praised Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for “supporting the implementation of the agreement and adherence to its articles,” according to Araji’s statement.
Later on Monday, the Iraqi delegation met with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Chief Hossein Salami, discussing the security pact and border control.
Salami "expressed his gratitude to the federal government and the Regional government for supporting the implementation of the security pact and its success," according to Araji's office.
Araji also met with Ismail Qaani, the head of the Iranian Quds Force which is the foreign operations arm of the IRGC, where they emphasized “the need not to expand the scope of the conflict in the Middle East,” Araji said on X.
Araji arrived in Tehran on Sunday, accompanied by Kurdistan Region Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed, where they met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Discussions focused on the importance of security cooperation between the two countries and the need to avoid the risks of expanding “the war in Gaza and Lebanon” into the wider region.
Palestinian Hamas militants launched a large-scale incursion into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,170 people, according to Israeli figures. Israel responded with a massive ongoing offensive in Gaza, killing over 40,000 people, mostly civilians, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
The deadly war has spilled over to neighboring Lebanon, where its Hezbollah movement has fired missiles and used explosive-laden drones to attack Israeli targets.
Iraq’s interior ministry spokesperson Miqdad Miri told Rudaw on Sunday that the number of Lebanese refugees that have entered Iraq since the intensification of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in their country has exceeded 36,000.
