Iraqi sources revealed that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi will take a regional tour this weekend, in which he will accompany ministers, security and economic officials , including Syria and several countries, namely Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as part of his quest to conclude security, political and economic understandings.
The sources stressed that the agenda of each country is different from the other, but the common factor between them is Iraq's efforts to convey a message of its decision to distance itself from any current or close axes that will be formed in the region, which will convey to Iran in the first place, according to them.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry announced in a statement carried by the official news agency on Sunday evening (July 19th) that al-Zaidi "will visit Iran at the end of this week", noting that the visit will include "the signing of a number of memoranda of understanding in the fields of joint cooperation, in a way that strengthens bilateral relations and serves the common interests of the two countries".
Al-Zaidi's visit comes days after he visited the United States, met with President Donald Trump, and signed dozens of agreements and memoranda of understanding in the fields of security, energy, investment and economic cooperation.
Government team prepares the programs of the four visits
An Iraqi official pointed out in statements published today that the talks between the Iraqi and Iranian sides are expected to be at the forefront of security files, Iraqi factions, information cooperation, borders, the repercussions of the war in the region, and mechanisms to reduce its effects on Iraq, pointing out that a government team is in charge of preparing the program of visits to the four countries, which is of course contingent on the rapid developments in the region in terms of the timing of each country's visit.
In this context, Mukhtar al-Moussawi, a member of the foreign relations committee in the Iraqi parliament, pointed out that al-Zaidi's tour includes heading to other countries that are all neighboring Iraq, led by Turkey, early next month, in an important visit given the size of the thorny files on the agenda.
Among the most prominent of these files are the future of the Turkish military presence inside Iraqi territory, security cooperation in the face of PKK elements, in addition to the water file, which represents one of the most sensitive issues for Iraq, in light of the decrease in water releases from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
"In Ankara, al-Zaidi will discuss the future of resuming Iraqi oil exports through the Turkish port of Ceyhan, a file that has great economic and financial dimensions, as well as exploring opportunities to expand cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, energy, electrical interconnection and infrastructure projects, in line with the Iraqi government's directions to strengthen economic partnerships with neighbouring countries," he said.
Visit to Syria and Regional Connectivity
For his part, Ali al-Yasiri, a member of Iraq's ruling coalition (Coordination Framework), stressed that "the visits of Iran and Turkey are no less important than the visit of Washington, and the tours that will follow, including Saudi Arabia and Syria, represent an extension of a balanced foreign policy aimed at promoting national interests and consolidating Iraq's position as an active party in addressing the region's crises."
"The planned visits to Saudi Arabia and Syria during the next phase are also of strategic importance, given the opportunity they represent to enhance economic co-operation, security and political co-ordination, and support regional connectivity projects, in line with the Iraqi government's vision to build balanced partnerships with its Arab and regional surroundings," al-Yasiri said.
Iraqi-Iranian talks ahead of al-Zaidi's visit
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Sunday held phone talks with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein, during which he sought to contain the political repercussions of the harsh criticism directed against the Iraqi prime minister by the Supreme Leader's adviser for international affairs Ali Akbar Velayati, describing them as "personal and unofficial statements."
According to a statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, during the call, the two sides discussed the latest regional developments in the wake of the US military attacks on Iran, and Washington's repeated violations of the terms of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, as well as the Iranian response to it.
Araqchi described the relations between his country and Iraq as "deep-rooted and strategic" and based on deep historical, cultural and religious ties and common interests between the two peoples.
In an indirect reference to Velayati's remarks against Zaidi, Araqchi said these valuable relations "should not be affected by some personal and unofficial statements", stressing Tehran's keenness on the principle of mutual respect, good neighbourliness and the development of relations with the Iraqi government and people.
Khamenei's adviser attacks Zaydi
Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to the Iranian Supreme Leader, launched a scathing attack on al-Zaidi in an article he published on Tasnim News Agency on Friday, July 17, 2026, describing him as "young and inexperienced", calling his recent visit to Washington and his meeting with US President Donald Trump an "unfortunate and misplaced" step and a "great disgrace".
In his article, Velayati focused on a number of reasons that he considered essential in his criticism of Zaidi, most notably the timing of the visit, which coincided with the period of mourning for the assassination of former Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, considering that Zaidi's insistence on continuing with his agenda is "a blow to the dignity of the Iraqi people."
Velayati strongly criticized the Iraqi prime minister's response when Trump boasted about the assassination of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in 2020, saying only that "I was not involved in politics at the time... Let's talk about the future," Velayati described as a "weak and humiliating" response to what he called the "evil devil."
Velayati went on to criticize the new Zaidi government's approaches, saying that the slogan "Iraq First" reflects an uncomfortable openness for Tehran, especially after Baghdad signed 48 agreements and memorandums of understanding with major American companies during the visit.