Iraqi PM in Iran in key visit with Israeli war on Gaza high on agenda

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA)-Monitoring: According to Press TV, heading a high-ranking delegation, Sudani arrived in Tehran on Monday and was officially welcomed by Iranian President Seyed Ebrahim Raeisi at Sa’adabad Cultural and Historical Complex.

During the ceremony, the national anthems of the two countries were played and the senior Iranian and Iraqi officials reviewed a guard of honor.

The visiting Iraqi prime minister plans to meet with the Iranian president and attend a joint press conference.

Ahead of his travel to Tehran, Sudani met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Baghdad during his stealth visit to the Iraqi capital.

Speaking to reporters after their meeting, Blinken said his country is “not looking for conflict with Iran” but pledged to fully protect the American nationals, particularly in Iraq and Syria.

He added that the United States “will take every necessary step to protect our people.”

Israel waged a deadly war on the Gaza Strip on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity. The regime’s relentless bombardment of Gaza has massacred at least 9,770 Palestinians, including 4,800 children and 2,550 women.

Israel has also cut off fuel, electricity, food and water to more than two million Palestinians living in Gaza.

Since the beginning of the war, US military bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria have repeatedly come under drone and missile attacks.

According to figures released by the Pentagon on Friday, 17 attacks in Iraq and 12 in Syria occurred between October 17 and November 3./Pars today