Iran's Pezeshkian visits Iraq in his first foreign trip as president

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday, making an official visit to Iraq, a strategic ally of both Tehran and Washington, Iran's state media said.

Iraq hosts several Iran-aligned parties and armed groups, as Tehran has steadily increased its sway in the major oil producer since a US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.

A rare partner of both the United States and Iran, Iraq hosts 2,500 US troops and has Iran-backed militias linked to its security forces.

It has suffered escalating tit-for-tat attacks since Israel's war on Palestinians erupted in Gaza in October.

"We are planning to sign several agreements," Iran's state media quoted Pezeshkian, as saying ahead of the visit.

"We will meet senior Iraqi officials in Baghdad."

The United States and Iraq have reached an understanding on plans for the withdrawal of US-led coalition forces from Iraq, say sources familiar with the matter.

Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq have repeatedly attacked US troops in the Middle East since the Gaza war began.

State media have said Pezeshkian also plans to visit the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, a semi-autonomous territory where Iran has carried out strikes in the past, saying it is used as a staging ground for Iranian separatist groups as well as agents of its arch-foe Israel.

Baghdad has tried to tackle Iranian concerns over regional separatist groups, moving to relocate some members in a 2023 security pact with Tehran.

"We have several co-operation areas, including political, regional ... and security issues," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said ahead of the president's trip, according to state media.

Pezeshkian, 69, was sworn in on July 31, in the presence of top-ranking government officials and dignitaries from at least 70 countries.