Tehran, Nov 8 (IANS): Chief of Staff of Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri on Monday announced his country's readiness to share experiences in the defence sector with Iraq.

In a telephone conversation with recently-appointed Iraqi Defence Minister Thabet Muhammad Saeed Al Abbasi, Bagheri said that military relations between the two countries were not at a desirable level currently, and called for the armed forces of both sides to improve bilateral relations, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Iran's official news agency IRNA.

"The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have a lot of capacity and capabilities in various fields, including in the defense industry and fight against terrorism," he said, adding "Iran can provide its experience and knowledge to the Iraqi armed forces."

The Iranian commander also called for more consultations between officials and commanders of the two countries at different levels, saying they can have more effective cooperation by setting up a joint commission.

For his part, the Iraqi defence minister announced his country's readiness for military cooperation with the Iranian side.