Zarif, who arrived in Iraq on Saturday evening, said Iran and Iraq shared not just a border but historical commonalities as well as interests.
“We plan to use those commonalities to advance the joint interests of both countries as well as those of the region,” he said.
The Iranian foreign minister said Iran was seeking to send a message to the region during President Rouhani’s trip to Iraq.
“In Iraq, we will be sending a message of regional cooperation. We don’t see Iraq as a place of conflict with Iran’s regional rivals; we see it as a place of cooperation with regional countries,” Foreign Minister Zarif said.
Saudi Arabia, which perceives Iran as its main adversary and which has severed its ties with Tehran, has been viewing Iraq as a battle zone where it needs to curb Iranian influence.
Zarif also said Iran viewed Iraq as “an important pillar of regional security,” without whose cooperation, regional security would be impossible.
“Thus, it is necessary for Iran and Iraq to cooperate, beside the other countries of the region, toward bringing about security for the region,” he said.
He said no regional country had to be excluded from regional decision making.
“We don’t want Iraq to cut relations with any other country,” Zarif said. “Sadly, it is the Americans who are pressuring Iraq not to have neighborly ties with Iran.”
The Iranian foreign minister also thanked Iraqi people and officials for their “principled stand” in support of Iran and against unilateral US sanctions against the Islamic Republic.