By Muhammet Kursun
TEHRAN, Iran (AA) - Iran and Iraq on Sunday signed a five-year joint cooperation program in the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
Iran’s Labor and Social Welfare Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari and his Iraqi counterpart Adel al-Rikabi inked the program, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
Al-Rikabi said the implementation of the program will be started immediately.
Shariatmedari, who also met with Iraqi Finance Minister Ali Abdul-Amir Allawi, demanded that Iraq's natural gas and electricity debt to Iran be paid.
Allawi ensured the Iranian minister that the debt would be paid as soon as possible.