The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei met today with the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki. In this meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei said trusting the Iraqi people, developing strong ties with people from different denominations, and strengthening ties with neighboring countries are key factors which will contribute to Iraq's power and stability. Ayatollah Khamenei said that the Iraqi government should rely on these three factors in order to achieve its goals and stated that the Iraqi government should consider faith, courage, and national grandeur as vital resources for the country.
Referring to the mutual trust between the Islamic Republic and the Iraqi Prime Minister and government, Ayatollah Khamenei said that the Islamic Republic has developed strong ties with the Iraqi people and added: "The efforts of the Islamic Republic are aimed at promoting grandeur, independence, peace, and progress in Iraq. And The Islamic Republic will take all the necessary steps to achieve this goal."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the presence of American and British forces in the region as the main reason behind terrorism and the internal problems of Iraq and said: "The Iraqi people will not be relieved before the American forces leave Iraq."
Ayatollah Khamenei also said that the US is making efforts to dominate other countries and exploit their resources. He further expressed concerns over the US-Iraqi security pact and added: "Americans violate all agreements and are not even loyal to their closest allies in the region. Therefore, none of their promises can be relied upon."
Ayatollah Khamenei further stated that maintaining resistance and vigilance are the only ways for opposing the American and British plots in the region and said: "The Iraqi government should prove to the Iraqi people that it will not give up the rights of the Iraqi people due to the enemies' pressure and threats."
Elsewhere in his speech, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that building a permanent American base in the region is one of the main goals of the American government in the region.
At the beginning of this meeting, Mr. Nouri Maliki referred to the cordial relations between the two countries and said that the meeting was highly beneficial for the Iraqi people. He also said that developing mutual relations in political and economic sectors can provide a model of progress for the region.