Iraq urges expansion of artistic cooperation with Iran

In a meeting with Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Abbas Salehi late Tuesday, Hamoudi, also head of the Islamic Supreme Council, added that the two countries have cultural and artistic cooperation but they should be promoted.

“We know that Iran achieved many successes in the political, economic, cultural and artistic fields and one of the major characteristics of the Islamic Republic is its culture and religiosity,” he said.

As you know that some countries made many efforts to create challenges for Iraq, but they failed due to resistance of the Iraqi nation and support of its friends, Hamoudi said.

Iraqi official further noted that although the Ba’ath regime of Iraq attempted to build a high wall between the people and the two countries’ cultural commonalities, they were removed soon after its collapse.

Salehi, for his part, congratulated recent victories of the Iraqi nation and government over terrorism, saying that Iraq is to see the biggest popular movement in coming weeks, parliamentary elections, a manifestation of democracy in Iraq which will play a significant role in the people’s destiny.

Cultural identity is the core of Islamic Republic and it attaches high importance to bilateral relations in various fields, he said.

Salehi arrived in Baghdad late Monday on a four-day official visit to the country, accompanied by several of his deputies.
8072**1396
Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish