Iran said Sunday it supported Iraq's stability and called for expediting the construction of an oil pipeline and railway between the two neighbors, state-run television reported. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told visiting Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi, who is scheduled to meet U.S. officials in Washington next week, that Tehran supports Iraq's territorial integrity and believes a powerful government in Baghdad suits its interests. "The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that establishing peace and security in Iraq requires having a powerful government with popular support more than anything else," the television quoted Ahmadinejad as saying Sunday. "Protection of Iraq's territorial integrity, independence and might is of special significance to Iran," Ahmadinejad told Chalabi. The president also said Iran was willing to offer its experience and expertise to rebuild Iraq and insisted on expediting work on setting up an oil pipeline between Iran's port city of Abadan and Basra, Iraq's second largest city. Ahmadinejad also called for completing a railway project connecting both countries. He said Iraq could use Iranian ports as a transit route to export goods.