It was Masum's first meeting with the Shiite grand cleric since becoming president, He praised Ayatollah al-Sistani's directives as "an essential role in Iraq's unity".

His Highness (Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani) views all Iraqis as equal. He doesn't discriminate between Iraqi components. His directives are of an essential role in Iraq's unity and people, Fuad Masum, Iraqi President said after meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in a press conference.

On 20 October the Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi met Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf before trip to Tehran.

Iraqi President Fuad Masum also meets with Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Bashir Hussain Najafi, one of the five Grand Ayatollahs in Iraq, during his visit to the holy city of Najaf on November 11, 2014.

Iraqi President Fuad Masum plans to pay a visit to Saudi Arabia, amid the ISIL terrorist cult’s atrocities in the Middle East region.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has praised the role of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and in promoting “stability” and “independence” in the violence-torn Arab country.

Meanwhile in Tehran al-Maliki held separate meetings with the Supreme Leader, President Hassan Rouhani, First Vice-President Es-haq Jahangiri, vice-chairman of the Assembly of Experts Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi and Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani.

He before leaving Tehran in his last meeting, met Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani. Iran president says the Iraqi army and nation have no need for any foreign military presence to defend their country against terrorists, stressing that Tehran will stand by Baghdad in its anti-terror campaign.

“In the fight against terrorism, Iran stands by the Iraqi people and has set no condition for its aid,” President Rouhani said in a meeting with Iraq’s Vice President Nouri al-Maliki in Tehran on Tuesday.

He praised the Iraqi nation for making great achievements in the ongoing battle against foreign-backed terrorist groups operating in the country.

“In the fight against terrorism, Iran stands by the Iraqi people and has set no condition for its aid,” President Rouhani said in a meeting with Iraq’s Vice President Nouri al-Maliki in Tehran on Tuesday.

“Maintenance of Iraq’s unity and territorial integrity is important for the Islamic Republic of Iran because a united Iraq can help establish stability in the [Middle East] region,” the Iranian president said.

Noting that enemies have always caused major obstacles in the way of regional countries’ development, he said that Middle East states are currently grappling with such challenges as extremism, violence, terrorism and oil price slide.

President Rouhani further commended the democratic power transition in Iraq and the formation of a broad-based government in the Arab country.

The Iraqi vice president, for his part, said foreign plots are aimed at disintegrating Iraq through fueling sectarian violence in the ethnically-diverse nation.

Maliki added that Baghdad followed Iran’s model of employing volunteer forces to tackle the threat of terrorism and has managed to drive them out of many occupied areas.

The ISIL terrorists currently control large areas of Iraq. The group sent its militants into Iraq in June, seizing large swathes of land straddling the border between Syria and Iraq.

Later Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has praised the role of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and current vice president in promoting “stability” and “independence” in the violence-torn Arab country.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the statements in a meeting with Maliki, who currently serves as Iraq’s vice president, in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Monday.

The Leader further hailed Maliki’s contributions to the recent transition of power in Iraq, saying such an approach helped prevent “chaos” and “instability” in the country.
Iraqi First Vice-President Nouri al-Maliki left Tehran on Tuesday at the end of his three-day visit to Iran.

Iraqi First Vice-President Nouri al-Maliki left Tehran on Tuesday at the end of his three-day visit to Iran.