Iran and Iraq vowed on Wednesday to strengthen security cooperation as Iraqi President Jalal Talabani wrapped up a three-day visit aimed at seeking help from his neighbor in stemming bloodshed in his violence-torn country.

At a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Talabani described his visit as "100 percent successful" and promised that results of his trip "will appear soon."

"We discussed security, economy, oil and industry and reached general agreement," he said.

For his part, Ahmadinejad voiced his support for the Iraqi people and reiterated his call for the United States to withdraw forces from Iraq.

"I advise you to leave Iraq ...(and) transfer the responsibilities to the Iraqi government according to a timetable as it wants," he said.

He said that enemies of Iraq were determined to prevent the formation of a powerful Iraq and seek to sow seeds of discord and enmity in the war-torn country.

"We all should strive to forge unity among the Iraqi nation," he said.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the two countries called for upgrading current level of relations and cooperation in political, security, oil, industry, economic and cultural affairs, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency.

The Islamic Republic of Iran underlined the need to maintain Iraq's national unity, territorial integrity and independence, the statement said.

The two sides also strongly condemned continued atrocities and sabotage activities of terrorist groups in Iraq and emphasized the necessity of serious confrontation with such criminal and terror activities.

Talabani arrived in Tehran on Monday for his second trip to Iran as the Iraqi president. In November 2005, Talabani held a historic meeting with Ahmadinejad as the first Iraqi president to visit Iran in 40 years.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his meeting with Talabani on Tuesday, also pledged that Iran would do its best to help Iraq establish stability and security.

"Iran will spare no efforts to promote stability and security in Iraq, if Iraqi officials call for such help," Khamenei was quoted by the state television as saying.

(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2006)