IRNA-The deputy ambassador of Iran in Baghdad says the comprehensive development of Iran's 10 billion-dollar trade relations with Iraq has angered rivals and some are doing everything to mar this relationship.


Seyyed Moosa Alizadeh Tabatabaei on Tuesday referred to recent waves of pilgrims and Iraqi passengers traveling to Iran after the collapse of Saddam Hussein, saying relations between the two countries in all areas including tourism are growing and Iraq has risen to the top of the list of tourists visiting Iran from 2009 to 2013.

He added, 'With the emergence of ISIL and spread of insecurity and subsequent deterioration of economic situation in Iraq, the Iraqis' trips to foreign countries including Iran fell but with the defeat of ISIL and recovery of Iraqi economic the trips are on the rise.

Tabatabaei pointed to the visits of Iraqis to Iran for the purposes of pilgrimage, tourism, health, and commerce, saying that this has paved the way for good communication between the two countries, especially between Iranian and Iraqi nations.
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'Our rivals are trying to attract Iraqi tourists, and we see that every time and under every pretext, certain Persian-language virtual networks are mobilized against Iran and Iraq in a bid to create discord, grudge and hostility.

Tabatabaei said it is likely that certain intelligence services are behind this situation, saying that the main purpose of these fake news and propaganda is to destroy relations between the two countries and disrupt interactions between the Iranian and Iraqi nations.