Iran says enhancing ties with Iraq is top foreign policy priority

Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, stated on Sunday that enhancing ties with Iraq is Iran's top foreign policy priority. He made the remarks in an Arabic-language post on his X account shortly after arriving in Baghdad as part of an Iranian political delegation led by Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi.

"Greetings to great and brotherly Iraq. We arrived in Baghdad together with the foreign minister, and after paying tribute to the commanders of victory, we will meet and hold talks with our Iraqi brothers, including the president, the prime minister, and the foreign minister of Iraq," Baghaei wrote. He emphasized that "the development of relations with Iraq, which is bound to us by deep cultural and civilizational ties, will always remain at the top of Tehran's priorities."

The Iranian delegation arrived in Baghdad on Sunday morning. Upon arrival, Araghchi paid tribute to the martyred anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and Iraq's martyred resistance commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The Iranian foreign minister also met his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein, to discuss the most important bilateral and regional issues.

The visit's agenda also includes reviewing arrangements for funeral ceremonies for the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in various Iraqi cities. According to Mehr News, the delegation's discussions aim to strengthen cooperation and address mutual concerns.