Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki arrived
in Tehran, official news agency IRNA reported early Sunday.
He is to meet later Sunday morning with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
to discuss the latest developments in Iraq, including an agreement between Iraq and the United States to be finalized next month.
Under the not yet concluded agreement, the US is seeking not only approval to
maintain military bases in Iraq but also the right to conduct military
operations from those bases against other countries without consultation with
the Baghdad government.
Iran has already protested the planned agreement, and Maliki is expected to
reassure Tehran than Iran would not be harmed by the agreement.
Maliki is expected to reiterate the Iraqi government's wish to resume Iran-US
talks over Iraq's security, which both sides have halted.
Tehran has indicated that there would be no further talks with the current US administration.
There are hopes within the Iranian government that the possible presidency of
presumptive centre-left Democratic nominee Barack Obama would change the status
of Iran-US relations after almost three decades of political estrangement, dpa reported.
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