King, Spanish monarch discuss ties, developing relations in all fields

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday received a telephone call from His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, a Royal Court statement said.

Over the phone, King Abdullah and the Spanish monarch discussed the friendly relations between the two countries and the means of developing them in all fields, in addition to the current regional developments, according to the statement.

Also on Wednesday, Spain’s King Felipe VI visited special forces helping Iraq fight terrorists, during the first trip by a Spanish monarch to the war-ravaged country in four decades, Agence France-Pressé (AFP) reported. The king, whose country is a member of an international coalition battling the terrorist group Daesh, also later met President Barham Saleh, according to AFP.

Iraq in 2017 declared victory over Daesh following a bruising months-long campaign backed by the coalition, which continues to carry out operations against the extremists.

Spain, which took part in the US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq that overthrew dictator Saddam Hussein, went on to support Iraqi troops as they battled to push back Daesh, which seized a third of the country including its second largest city Mosul in 2014, AFP reported.