Iranian president lauds Iraq's security after terrorists defeated

TEHRAN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani commended the return of security and stability to neighboring Iraq after it defeated the Islamic State militants, official IRNA news agency reported on Thursday.

Security and stability of the two neighbors are combined, Rouhani said on Wednesday in a meeting with the visiting Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi.

Rouhani voiced his country's readiness to further bolster ties with Iraq in various fields and called for deepening close and brotherly relations with Iraq.

For his part, al-Halbousi appreciated Iran's assistance to Iraq in fighting terrorism.

Development of relations between the two countries helps stability in the region, he stressed.

He reiterated his country's opposition to the U.S. sanctions on Iran.

In another meeting with his Iranian counterpart Ali Larijani on Wednesday, al-Halbousi said that his country will stand by Iran in facing the U.S. sanctions.