Iran's Pezeshkian arrives in Iraq on first state visit
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrives in Iraq on his first state visit since his inauguration at the invitation of the country's president.
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and the delegation he is heading land at Baghdad International Airport in Iraq on September 11, 2024. (IRNA)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived early Wednesday at Iraq's Baghdad International Airport for his first state visit since assuming office in late July, kicking off a significant three-day visit to the neighboring Arab country.
President Pezeshkian is leading a high-ranking political and economic delegation, and the visit is expected to include meetings with top Iraqi officials, the signing of various cooperation agreements, and discussions with the Iranian community in Iraq, particularly business leaders.
In addition to his official engagements, the Iranian president will visit the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, where he will pay respects at the shrines of Imam Ali and Imam Hussein, revered figures in Islam.
President Pezeshkian's itinerary also includes a trip to Basra in southwestern Iraq, where he will inspect projects being carried out by Iranian companies. He will then travel to northern Iraq's Kurdistan region, visiting its capital Erbil and the city of Sulaymaniyah at the invitation of regional officials.
Paying respects to martyred leaders Soleimani, Muhandis
President Pezeshkian began his trip by laying a wreath at the site of the assassination of martyrs former IRGC Quds Force chief General Qassem Soleimani and former Popular Mobilization Forces chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis near Baghdad International Airport.
Iran's ambassador to Iraq, Mohammad Kazem Al-e Sadeq, confirmed that several memoranda of understanding will be signed, covering political, economic, trade, security, agricultural, technical, and sports cooperation, along with agreements in postal services and telecommunications.
Speaking to Iranian media, Ambassador Al-e Sadeq explained that the discussions during the visit will focus on bilateral issues, as well as regional and international cooperation, and recent developments in West Asia.
Sources revealed to Al Mayadeen in August that the Iranian President's visit was in response to an invitation from his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Latif Rashid and before his scheduled visit to the United Nations headquarters in New York.
In late August, Al-e Sadegh announced that the memoranda of understanding, originally intended to be signed by the late President Ebrahim Raisi, will now be finalized during Pezeshkian’s upcoming visit to Iraq.
Upon winning the elections in early July, Pezeshkian published an op-ed piece in the Tehran Times in which he outlined his government's outlook and policy.
In the piece, he stated that his administration is dedicated to maintaining Iran's national dignity and global standing "under all circumstances."
Pezeshkian said that his policy would focus on opportunities to maintain balanced relations with all nations in line with Iran's economic and national interests, in addition to the needs of regional and global peace and security.
