On Sunday, the Iranian Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Mohammad Shariatmadari paid a visit to Baghdad to attend the signing ceremony of the cooperation program with his Iraqi counterpart Adel Al Rikabi. The signed program foresees exchanging experiences in various fields, including education, development, and social affairs. According to a statement, the cooperation program is designed for five years.
After the signing ceremony, the two ministers held a joint press conference. Speaking at the conference, Iranian Minister Shariatmadari stated that his country is looking for opportunities to expand relations between the two countries in every field. The program is expected to be beneficial for the two countries, particularly in a way to create more job opportunities for people of the two neighboring countries, the minister added.
The Iraqi minister also told in the press conference that the program has occurred in accordance with cooperation agreements between the two countries. The cooperation in improving services for the disabled and expanding social security are other prominent issues within the scope of the program, Al Rikabi added.
The Iranian Minister also came together with Iraqi Finance Minister Ali Abdul Amir Allawi. It was reported that the Iranian Minister requested Iran to pay its natural gas and electricity debt. In response, Iraqi Minister Allawi said that the debt to Iran would be paid as soon as possible.
The Iranian Minister’s visit to Iraq will long three days, and he will sign other cooperation agreements with the Iraqi authorities in several fields.
