Top security official: US plans against Iran-Iraq ties to go nowhere

Tehran, Nov 17, IRNA – Repeated plots by the US and some regional reactionary governments to disrupt friendly relations between Iran and Iraq will go nowhere, according to Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). Shamkhani made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Iraqi President Barham Salih in Tehran on Saturday. The new political and governing conditions of Iraq have created new chances for deepening relations between the two friendly and neighboring countries, Shamkani said. He hailed efforts by the Iraqi Army and security forces, particularly those by al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces), which led to the annihilation of the biggest threat of the region, and said, 'Today the countries that are not satisfied with destruction of terrorism in Iraq aim to undermine the country's solidarity and unity.' Now that the US has failed to use terrorism as a tool for destroying the broad capacities of the regional countries, Washington is seeking to use sanctions and imposition of direct pressure against independent countries, Shamkhani said. The Iraqi president, for his part, hailed Iran’s continued support for Iraq in the fight against terrorism. Salih said that Iraq is sensitive about counter-security and destructive measures followed by some countries to create insecurity and instability in Iraq, and will fight with any efforts to hamper the unity of the two countries. He said that Baghdad would not let any country or group use Iraq for damaging the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran.