Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi will travel to Tehran on Thursday at the head of a senior government delegation for talks with top Iranian officials on energy, trade, transportation and agriculture. The Iraqi government said the issue of bringing all weapons under state control would not be on the agenda, calling it “an Iraqi sovereign matter.” The visit comes less than a week after al-Zaidi traveled to the United States, as Baghdad steps up diplomacy with regional and international partners while trying to balance its ties with Washington and Tehran amid mounting regional tensions.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi praised the outcome of his Washington visit amid broad public support but political divisions at home. Iran, meanwhile, officially distanced…

Iraqi Prime Minister expected to sign memorandums of understanding to strengthen ties with Tehran

Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi weighs hardline views on US-Iran war with disarming Iran-backed Shia militias