Iran's President Hassan Rouhani reaches Iraq to hold talks with Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani reached Iraq on Monday to hold bilateral talks with his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih. Leading a politico-economic delegation, Rouhani will be exploring avenues for bilateral relations with Iraq across political, economic and cultural fields, according to Iran's state media.

The meeting between the two neighbours comes at a time when the United States is exerting pressure on Iran by imposing sanctions on its oil. Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif had reached Iraq ahead of Rouhani's visit to make arrangements for the bilateral meetings.

A few agreements are expected to be signed during the Iranian President's official visit to Iraq. Rouhani will also meet with senior Iraqi cleric, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Sistani, and other political leaders during his trip.

"Iran and Iraq are the two neighbouring states with numerous geographical, cultural and social commonalities," Zarif had earlier outlined, stressing that "no country has the right to interfere in the two countries' ties."