Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran.
Baghdad: Iran’s new President and reformist leader Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian has started his first foreign trip from today. As President, he has chosen the country for his first foreign trip, which once waged a war against Iran. But Pezeshkian hopes that by starting this trip, the previous relations will improve. Let us tell you that Masoud Pezeshkian has chosen Iraq for his first foreign trip. He said that Tehran’s relations with Baghdad will be strengthened, as regional tensions are pushing both countries towards the growing unrest in West Asia.
For Iran, its ties with Iraq remain important for economic, political and religious reasons. This has been especially true since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 that ousted dictator Saddam Hussein from power. Saddam waged a war against Iran in the 1980s that lasted for years. Meanwhile, Baghdad is trying to balance its ties with Tehran, which supports powerful Shiite militias in the country, while also trying to get its ties with the US back on track.
There are still American troops in Iraq
The US has 2,500 troops in Iraq who are still battling remnants of the once-dominant extremist Islamic State group. Ahead of Pezeshkian’s arrival on Tuesday night, an explosion occurred at a site used by US forces near Baghdad International Airport. There were no reports of casualties and the circumstances of the blast were unclear. The US embassy said the blast occurred at the Baghdad Diplomatic Services Compound, a US diplomatic area, and it was “assessing the cause and damage” of the blast.
Pezeshkian will also go to Karbala
Pezeshkian, who was sworn in as Iran’s new president in July, will also visit Shiite shrines in the cities of Karbala and Najaf during his trip. Ahead of the trip, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told an Iraqi television channel that Pezeshkian hoped to strengthen security ties with Baghdad as well as economic ties. The continued presence of US troops in Iraq remains a concern for Iran as Iraqi politicians continue to debate whether to support the stay of US troops in the country. (AP)
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