Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received a delegation led by Iraqi Defense Minister Juma Inad.

Welcoming Defense Minister Inad’s visit to Armenia, Prime Minister Pashinyan noted that our country considers Iraq a reliable partner as the bilateral relations are underpinned by strong historical and cultural affinities. Nikol Pashinyan appreciated the thoughtfulness of Iraq’s authorities of the needs of the Armenian community, which allows the Armenians to preserve their spiritual assets and contribute to the development of the host country.

Juma Inad said the Iraqi government is keen to expand relations with Armenia. The Iraqi Defense Minister stressed the importance of developing cooperation and sharing know-how in the military sphere. In this context, the interlocutors discussed issues related to the furtherance of interaction in the military-technical and military-medical spheres, and stressed the importance of signing a memorandum between the defense ministries of the two countries in Yerevan.

Prime Minister Pashinyan stressed that the Armenian government highly appreciates the Iraqi authorities’ balanced position on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. With reference to economic ties, the Premier expressed the hope that trade and economic exchanges could be reinvigorated following this year’s planned meeting of the Armenian-Iraqi intergovernmental commission.

Taking the opportunity, the Armenian Prime Minister and the Iraqi Defense Minister exchanged views on issues of regional importance.