Maliki heads for Tehran Sat.

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is flying to Tehran on Saturday at the head of an official delegation, an Iraqi government source said on Friday. “Maliki will lead an official Iraqi delegation for a three-day visit to the Iranian capital Tehran,” the source told IraqiNews.com news agency, adding the visit is part of a tour that took him to the Turkish capital Ankara. The Iraqi premier had paid a visit to Turkey on December 26, 2008 and was planning to fly afterwards to Iran but the visit was delayed due to domestic affairs in Iraq, according to official sources. Iraq’s ambassador in Tehran Mohammed Majid al-Sheikh had told Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Wednesday (31-12-2008) that Maliki will arrive in Iran next Saturday on an official visit to discuss economic and pending issues between the two countries as well as the repercussions of signing the security pact. Sheikh added that the Iraqi government delegation is expected to comprise the ministers of trade, electricity, transport and municipalities as well as foreign affairs advisors. AmR (P) 1