Tehran: President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Tehran views Iraq not merely as a neighbor but as a brotherly and close country, as he called for expanded bilateral cooperation during talks with Iraqi President Nizar Amidi in Tehran.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Pezeshkian, while receiving Amidi, who traveled to the Iranian capital to attend funeral and memorial ceremonies for the Martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, thanked the Iraqi government and people for their condolences and support following the recent US-Israeli-imposed war on Iran and the deaths of senior Iranian officials and civilians.

'Iran regards Iraq not simply as a neighboring country, but as a brotherly nation with close ties,' Pezeshkian said, calling on both sides to deepen cooperation and accelerate the implementation of existing bilateral agreements. He stated that the deep historical, cultural, and religious bonds between the two countries provided a strong foundation for expanding relations.

Amidi reaffirmed Iraq's solidarity with Iran, saying Baghdad and the Iraqi people shared the country's grief and had condemned the recent attacks on the Islamic Republic. He also praised the resilience of the Iranian people in defending their national interests during the recent war.

Ceremonies will continue on Saturday and Sunday with the body lying in state at the Grand Mosalla before a funeral procession through Tehran on Monday. Further rites are scheduled in the holy city of Qom, followed by ceremonies in Baghdad, Karbala, and Najaf in Iraq, before burial in Mashhad on July 9.