Rafsanjani in Iraq today over regional relations- paper

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The chairman of Iran’s Expediency Council, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, will arrive in Iraq today to discuss regional relations, the Tehran Times said on Monday. “In a letter on September 25 last year, Jalal Talabani officially invited Rafsanjani to pay a visit to Iraq and its holy sites,” according to the newspaper’s report. “In his meeting with Rafsanjani’s office director in Baghdad, Talabani had explained that he will personally accompany Iran’s Expediency Council chairman in his visit to different places,” it noted. “Rafsanjani also plans to hold talks with Iraq’s ulema, tribal chiefs, Shia, Sunni, and Kurdish party leaders, as well as a number of academics.” “Discussions on regional developments, especially Iraq issues and Tehran-Baghdad relations, will feature most in talks,” the report concluded. SS (P) 1