Iran-Iraq Relationship Is Enduring, Velayati Tells Bafel Talabani

Iran-Iraq Relationship Is Enduring; Avoid Actions That Encourage U.S. and Israeli Ambitions, Velayati Tells Bafel Talabani

Shiite News: Bafel Jalal Talabani, leader of Iraq’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), held an important meeting in Tehran with Dr. Ali Akbar Velayati, senior adviser to Iran’s Leader on international affairs. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral relations and discussing the broader political and security situation in the region. The meeting was reported by Iranian media on September 16, 2026.

Welcoming Talabani’s visit to Iran, Dr. Ali Akbar Velayati stressed that Iraq has always held a special and important position in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He said this approach had long been emphasized by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and continues to be pursued.

Referring to the sensitive situation in the region, Velayati warned against any action that could increase what he described as the ambitions and interference of certain external powers, particularly the United States and Israel. He said that Iran and Iraq, as two strong neighboring countries, could work together to overcome regional challenges.

Talabani, for his part, expressed the Iraqi people’s friendship and solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran. He said the purpose of his visit was to convey the message that Iraq would stand alongside Iran during difficult times. He also referred to the longstanding friendship between his late father, former Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, and Velayati, describing it as an important foundation for relations between Iran, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

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Talabani further said that some recent troubling developments in the region were the result of actions by people who, in his view, were unaware of the sensitivity of the international situation, while he said Iran was responding to these circumstances with prudence and careful judgment. He emphasized that governments and individuals may come and go, but Iran and Iraq’s permanent geographical neighborhood would remain. He described this enduring relationship as a major asset and source of support for stable relations between the two countries.