TEHRAN - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has invited Iraq's President Jalal Talabani and new Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari to visit the Islamic republic, official media reported Thursday.
"Stability and security in Iraq is the same as stability and security in Iran, and Tehran is ready to cooperate with Iraq," Khatami was quoted as saying to Talabani in telephone talks.
He also said in another conversation with Jaafari that Iran was "standing by Iraqi people and government just as it has been from the beginning."
The officials exchanged invitations, reports said, but no dates appeared to have been set.
Iran and Iraqi authorities that came to power in the wake of the US invasion have been frequently at odds, amid accusations that the Islamic republic has been supporting insurgents battling the US occupation.
But relations have eased in the wake of the January elections in Iraq, whih saw a strong victory for Shiite factions -- some of whom have had close ties with Tehran.
Iran and Iraq were at war from 1980-1988.
05/05/2005 11:22 GMT