In a statement late Thursday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said the Islamic Republic welcomes the nomination of al-Mustafa as the new PM-designate by Iraqi President Barham Salih, calling the move a step in the right direction.

Al-Kazemi was named for the position on Thursday after former Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Adnan al-Zurfi announced his withdrawal from the role of forming a new government earlier in the day.

Mousavi added that “The Islamic Republic has always backed Iraq’s independence, national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political stability,” adding that Tehran considers the formation of consensus among all of its political movements through democratic pathways to be the only peaceful solution for all differences, Mehr News Agency reported.

He added Iran deems the current consensus leading to al-Kadhimi’s appointment “a right step in the right direction.”

The Iranian spokesman also expressed hope that the new PM-designate will succeed on his mission and that he would meet the demands of the Iraqi people and would award the country its well-deserved stability and integrity.

Mousavi further voiced Tehran’s readiness to cooperate with Baghdad in its efforts to put standing problems behind and provide its public and religious authorities demands.

The efforts to establish a new government follow the resignation of former Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi who stepped down in November.

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