ALBAWABA - This is a first at least for Iraq's new Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. He is presently in Tehran meeting top Iranian officials, including President Ebrahim Raisi.
Mohammed Al Sudani, Iraqi PM, will meet with Ayatollah Khamenei today.
— Zahra Hamidia?? (@ZahraHamidia) November 29, 2022
Similar to Al-Kadhimi, Al-Sudani has also organized his first official trip to be to Iran.
The hostile movements of the enemy in Iraq's Kurdistan & negotiations wt Saudis r the most important issues to follow pic.twitter.com/fEEgsXviM8
The social media is rife about the timing of Al Sudani's visit to a country that is attacking Kurdish areas in Iraq. Iran's Press TV states the visit of the Iraqi prime minister, which started on Tuesday, is to boost bilateral relations between the two countries.
After holding talks, President Raeisi and Iraqi PM al-Sudani participated in the joint presser. pic.twitter.com/yOFyF4kABo
— Iran Daily (@IranDailyWeb) November 29, 2022
However, there's more than meets the eye. First of all, his visit seems to be traditional for after all, the previous Iraqi prime minister Mustafa al Khadhimi made visits to the Iranian capital and played a key role between Tehran and Riyadh in getting them to re-establish relations, severed since 2016. It is expected that Sudani will seek to continue to play that role.
#Iraqi PM in Tehran to after #Iran Border Attacks https://t.co/vGtJSgvoz4
— Asharq Al-Awsat English (@aawsat_eng) November 29, 2022
Apart from that however, it maybe the current tensions that is worrying Baghdad.
According to Asharq Al Awsat the main aim of the present trip is to contain Iranian attacks on Kurdish opposition groups in northern Iraq which started on 21 November.
Iraqi PM al-Sudani in the joint presser: We will not allow any political or military faction to launch operations against Iran from our lands. https://t.co/juon5mZKdJ
— Iran Daily (@IranDailyWeb) November 29, 2022
The Iraqi prime minister is on a two-day visit ahead of a large political and economic delegation to Iran.