BAGHDAD, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Shiite spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on Wednesday welcomed any move to strengthen Iraq's relations with its neighbors based on mutual interests and respect for sovereignty of each other.
Al-Sistani's comments came in a statement issued by his office after he met with the visiting Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, some 160 km south of Baghdad.
Rouhani briefed al-Sistani with the results of his talks with Iraqi officials, the statement said.
Al-Sistani said that he "welcomes any step to strengthen Iraq's relations with its neighbors in accordance with mutual interests and on the basis of respecting the sovereignty of the states and non-interference in their internal affairs," the statement added.
He said that the most important challenges facing Iraq at this stage are to "combat corruption, improve public services and restrict the possession of arms by the state and its security forces," according to the statement.
Rouhani's meeting with al-Sistani, who has a large number of followers inside Iran, is of symbolic importance in both Iraq and Iran.
On Monday, Rouhani arrived in Baghdad on a landmark three-day visit to Iraq at the invitation of his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih.
During the first two days of his visit, Rouhani and his delegation held a series of meetings with top Iraqi officials, political and religious leaders.
The visit came as the United States has been exerting sanctions on Iran's oil industry, banking and transport sectors, after Washington pulled out from the 2015 nuclear deal last year.
