Iraqi premier due in Iran for talks

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is due to visit Iran on Wednesday to hold talks with senior Iranian officials on regional and international issues.

Iran’s Ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Danaeifar said on Sunday that al-Maliki’s visit is aimed at discussing political and economic bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues.

This is al-Maliki’s first trip to Iran after Iranian president Hassan Rouhani’s victory in the June 14 presidential election.

The Iraqi premier was scheduled to visit Tehran in August shortly after Rouhani’s inauguration, but later postponed his trip.

In September, Iranian Foreign Minsiter Mohammad Javad Zarif travelled to the Iraqi capital Baghdad on his first foreign visit as Iran’s foreign minister.