Iranian President Pezeshkian to make first foreign trip to Iraq

Tehran, Sep 9 (IANS) Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian will leave Tehran for the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Wednesday, marking his first foreign trip since taking office in late July, Iranian media has reported.

During the visit, Pezeshkian is expected to hold meetings with high-ranking Iraqi officials and sign several cooperation agreements and security memoranda, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Iran’s official news agency IRNA.Iranian Ambassador to Iraq, Mohammad-Kazem Al-e Sadeq, told IRNA that the trip is at the invitation of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and that Pezeshkian will lead a high-level delegation.Mohammad-Mehdi Shahriari, a member of Iran’s parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said the visit aims to strengthen relations with Iraq and address issues such as border demarcation, according to IRNA.Pezeshkian was sworn in as Iran’s ninth president on July 30, replacing Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash in May.–IANSint/sha