Iran's new foreign minister is pushing to cement ties with neighboring Iraq at a time when American troops are preparing to go home and Tehran's influence is expected to rise, Los Angeles Times reports.
Officials from around the Middle East have been streaming into Iraq since the new Shiite-led government was sworn in last month, nine months after an inconclusive election that led to prolonged political wrangling. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi's visit came a few days after Jordan and Egypt sent senior delegations.
Iraq's mainly Sunni neighbors are racing to try to gain more influence in Iraq, partly to counter Iran's influence. Ties between Iran and Iraq, both Shiite-dominated countries, were troubled before the 2003 U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein's Sunni minority-led government.
