Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency (INA) late on Monday, Araghchi said, “I arrived today in the holy city of Najaf, and I am on my way to Karbala to commemorate Arbaeen. In Najaf, I witnessed the high level of preparations and arrangements made for the visitors. Everyone expressed their satisfaction with the level of services provided this year compared to the previous year, which reflects the continuous improvement in the organization of this event year after year.”

He added, “These ceremonies demonstrate the unity of the Iraqi and Iranian peoples, with participants from both countries constituting the majority. This embodies the strength of the religious and ideological ties between the two nations. This solidarity was clearly evident previously during the funeral procession for the martyred Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which underscored the depth of sentiment and the deep-rooted unity between the two peoples.”

Regarding bilateral relations, Araghchi said, “Fortunately, our relations with the Iraqi government are currently at their best. The recent visit of the Iraqi Prime Minister to Tehran witnessed very fruitful discussions.”

He further said that cooperation between Iran and Iraq is close and includes various political fields through unified positions on common issues, as well as economic and security matters, in addition to close coordination on securing the borders, regulating trade through them, and developing joint transit routes.