Iraq: Abadi gets down to business
Issue 980
- 31 Oct 2014
| 1 minute read
With his government finally in place, Abadi flew to Tehran on 20 October, his first official visit to Iran since assuming office. Abadi met President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who promised to “spare no effort to uphold Iraq’s security and territorial integrity”. Rouhani was quoted as saying Tehran would “continue to support Baghdad by providing military advisers and weapons to the government”.The day before going to Iran, Abadi met Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, the highest ranking Shiite cleric in Najaf, a highly significant meeting given that, for years, Sistani has avoided meeting senior government officials, in protest at their inability to deliver services and security.
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