Rafsanjani seeks to meet al-Hashemi – source

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Vice President Tareq did not attend the ceremony to receive the chairman of Iran’s expediency council, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who arrived in Baghdad in response to an invitation from President Tareq al-Hashemi, a source from the Iraq’s presidential divan. “The Iranian delegation seeks to hold a meeting with al-Hashemi,” the source told IraqiNews.com news agency. “The meeting will discuss pending issues with Iran and the Iranian interference in Iraq’s affairs, according to the latest security reports, as well as borders problems,” a source from al-Hashemi’s office said. Rafsanjani had arrived on Monday in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on a five-day official visit, according to a source from the Iranian embassy. “The visit comes in response to an invitation from Iraqi president Jalal al-Talabani,” the source told IraqiNews.com news agency. “Rafsanjani will meet a number of Iraqi officials, including the president, the prime minister and others,” the source explained. SH (P)/SR 1