Iran Congratulates Iraq on Completion of Cabinet
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry congratulated the Iraqi nation and government on the appointment of new defense and interior ministers, which completed the unity government of the crisis-hit country.
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham, in a message on Sunday, congratulated Mohammed Salem al-Ghabban and Khaled al-Obeidi on their appointment as Iraq's interior and defense ministers.
She also expressed the hope that the two ministers would be successful in fulfilling their duties and that Tehran-Baghdad ties would be further strengthened in the future.
The Iraqi parliament on Saturday voted to approve the appointment of Obeidi, a Sunni from the northern city of Mosul as the defense minister and Ghabban of the powerful Shiite political party, the Badr Organization, as the interior minister.
Obeidi belongs to the party of Vice President Usama al-Nujaifi and is a confidant of his brother Atheel al-Nujaifi, the governor of Nineveh province that was overrun by ISIL forces.
