Qalibaf Calls on Iraq to Preserve Its Sources of Power

By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf held an extended meeting in Baghdad with Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zaidan, stressing the importance of Iraq preserving its internal sources of strength.

According to Mehdi Rahimi, head of the Iranian Parliament’s news agency, Qalibaf shared Iran’s experience of relying on domestic capabilities while confronting what he described as the world’s most powerful armies.

He urged Iraq to draw on its own internal resources and maintain its leverage.

Rahimi also described Iran as a “faithful adviser” to Iraq, saying this had been demonstrated during the confrontation with the Daesh [Arabic acronym for “ISIS” / “ISIL”] terrorist organization. He added that Iraqi officials had received Qalibaf’s proposals during his visit with openness.

Meanwhile, Qalibaf’s delegation is expected to visit the headquarters of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces as part of efforts to strengthen Tehran-Baghdad relations and cooperation.

Kian Abdollahi, meanwhile, said the United States had initially included provisions benefiting Iran in a memorandum of understanding [MoU] before turning to economic sanctions and a blockade following the failure of its war.

Qalibaf arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday at the head of a parliamentary delegation and met Iraqi President Nizar Amedi, Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi, and Parliament Speaker Haibet al-Halbousi.

During his meeting with al-Zaidi, Qalibaf affirmed Iran’s determination to deepen relations with Iraq in the shared interests of both peoples and praised Baghdad’s assistance to Iranian pilgrims during Arbaeen. With al-Halbousi, he called for expanding economic ties to match the strength of political and cultural relations.

Qalibaf also told Amedi that Iran and Iraq recognize US policies as a principal factor behind regional problems, linking Washington’s Gulf posture to military intervention and war.

He said the US had suffered military and political defeat in its latest war on Iran and failed to achieve its objectives. Amedi described the war as inhumane and a violation of international rules, affirming Iraq’s support for Iran as part of comprehensive regional security.

Qalibaf described Iran-Iraq relations as rooted in a shared destiny between neighboring countries, expressing hope that his visit would help deepen bilateral ties across sectors.

The visit comes against a tense security backdrop, as the Iraqi government moves toward a September 30 deadline for armed factions operating outside official security forces to hand over their weapons or face prosecution under the country’s anti-terrorism law. Kataib Hezbollah, part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, has so far rejected the deadline.

Kataib Hezbollah security official Abu Mujahid al-Assaf also warned Prime Minister al-Zaidi against continuing what he called “provocative raids” targeting the families of Resistance fighters, martyrs, and the wounded.

Al-Assaf said any government engagement over the Resistance’s weapons must include the complete withdrawal of American forces from Iraqi land and airspace, guarantees against their return, the withdrawal of Turkish forces from northern Iraq, and the dissolution of the Peshmerga, which he accused of maintaining ties with the “Zionist-American enemy.”