Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is heading to Iraq on Sunday, according to semi-official regime media outlet Mehr News Agency, citing Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.
The visit, which appears to be an important visit by Iran to show that Iraq is still a partner of Tehran, comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spotlighted the threat of Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.
According to the report, Baghaei made the announcement on Saturday night. The fact that this was not announced earlier would appear to mean that Iran is either responding to something urgent or is concerned about revealing the visit. Usually, these types of visits would be planned in advance.
Araghchi‘s trip comes as rumors swirl in Baghdad about a raid by security forces on the Green Zone. Rumors suggest Iraq is conducting an anti-corruption drive and has targeted some senior officials or politicians. It is not clear who has been targeted, though some have suggested that Iraq may be targeting Sunni Arab parties, while others have suggested the targets could be Iranian-linked politicians.
Iraq has been trying to rein in some Iranian-backed militias, with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi seeking to show that he can rein in chaos in the country. Zaidi is also seeking to head to the United States in July, and cracking down on Iranian-backed militias is an important aspect of the US pressure on Iraq.
The Americans want Zaidi to disarm Iraq’s one dozen militias, most of which are sanctioned by the US as terrorist groups.
Baghaei added that “Araghchi will discuss and consult with senior Iraqi officials about bilateral relations and regional and international developments” during the visit.
Iran attacks Gulf states
Meanwhile, Iran continues to target Gulf countries, with Kuwait and Bahrain condemning Iranian aggression on Sunday morning. Other regional countries have also condemned Iranian attacks, which the US has responded to over the last two days.
Therefore, Araghchi will be arriving in Iraq amid a regional crisis. Over the last few months, following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, the Iranians have operationalized militias in Iraq to carry out hundreds of attacks.
For example, Iran and its Iraqi proxies have carried out more than 850 attacks in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region. They also attacked US diplomatic facilities in Iraq and kidnapped a US journalist, turning the country into a frontline.
Rubio, GCC condemn Iranian proxies in Iraq
Rubio condemned the Iraqi proxies upon arriving in the United Arab Emirates last week. At a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) meeting in Bahrain, the Iraqi militias were also condemned.
“The Ministers condemned attacks by Iranian proxies in Iraq against GCC countries, including drone attacks damaging civilian facilities, critical infrastructure, and energy security,” the GCC condemnation stated. “They reiterated their support for Iraq’s new government’s efforts to restrict weapons to state control and prevent non-state armed groups from using Iraqi territory to threaten neighboring countries.”
The condemnation also noted that the “Ministers stressed the importance of the Government of Iraq taking all necessary measures to ensure the security and safety of all diplomatic missions in Iraq, and to protect them from any threats or attacks, in accordance with Iraq’s relevant international obligations.”
Iraq has also been in the midst of welcoming Shi’ite pilgrims for the annual Arbaeen holy events. In recent days, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force leader Esmail Qaani has also been in the news. It is not clear if any of these issues are also related to the Iranian visit, or if he is merely trying to shore up Iran’s partnership with Iraq.
