TEHRAN: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi met Iran's President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran on Tuesday during his first trip abroad since taking office.

Rouhani said in a joint news conference with Kadhemi that they had discussed expanding trade ties, fighting the novel coronavirus and efforts to ensure regional stability.

"The two governments' will is to expand bilateral trade ties to $20 billion," Rouhani said after an hour-long meeting with the Iraqi leader.

Iraq is one of Iran's main destinations for non-oil exports but trade has dipped as the Covid-19 pandemic forced temporary border closures.

Rouhani said Iran was ready to "stand with Iraq for the stability and security of Iraq and the region."

He hailed as "heroes" a top Iranian general and an Iraqi commander killed together in a US drone strike on Baghdad airport at the start of the year.

"I deem it necessary to honour the two heroes of the fight against terrorism, martyrs General Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis," he said. He described them has having "worked for Iraq's security in previous years", a reference to Baghdad's fight against the Islamic State group.

The Iranian president also pledged to help Baghdad by "providing it with all sanitary and medical goods it can" for the fight against the coronavirus.

Iran has been struggling to contain the Middle East's worst coronavirus outbreak with over 14,600 deaths and more than 278,800 cases.

Neighbouring Iraq has reported close to 4,000 deaths and 97,000 cases of Covid infections on its territory.