Iraqi foreign minister visits Tehran for talks

BAGHDAD

Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for talks with Iranian officials on issues of mutual concern, according to an official statement.

A statement by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said Hussein will meet with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and other senior officials during his stay.

The statement did not give details about issues scheduled to be discussed during Hussein’s visit.

Wednesday’s visit is the second by the top Iraqi diplomat to Tehran since his appointment in September.

The visit comes amid media reports suggesting that Iraq was seeking to mediate between Tehran and Washington to ease their tension, which escalated following the assassination of Iranian general Qasem Suleimani in a US drone airstrike last year.

*Ahmed Asmar in Ankara contributed to this report