Iraqi parliament speaker arrives in Tehran

Tehran, Oct 7, IRNA - Speaker of Iraq's parliament Mahmud Mashhadani arrived here Tuesday morning on a two-day visit heading a high-ranking delegation to discuss ways to promote Iran-Iraq cooperation.

He was welcomed at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport by head of
Iran's Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin
Boroujerdi.

Mashhadani's visit is taking place at the invitation of his Iranian
counterpart, Ali Larijani.

In addition to hold talks with Larijani, the Iraqi official is to
exchange views on major bilateral, regional and international
developments with senior Iranian officials including President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, Chairman of Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani,
Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, Secretary of
Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili.

Mashhadani will leave Iran for Syria on wednesday where to take part
in a meeting of the Arab states parliamentary union.

Mashhadani was due to arrive in Tehran on Monday but the plane
carrying the Iraqi speaker was denied landing permission due to some
technical problems.

Iran's ambassador to Iraq, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, had met Mashhadani in
Baghdad on Monday evening expressing Tehran's regret for the delay on
his visit.