Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi will lead a high-level ministerial delegation to Tehran on Thursday following an official invitation from the Iranian presidency, Government Spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi announced Wednesday.

The upcoming diplomatic mission comes amid heightened regional dynamics, though Baghdad emphasized that domestic security policies remain strictly off the foreign negotiation table. Speaking at a press conference, al-Aboudi stressed that limiting arms strictly to state control is an exclusively Iraqi issue discussed solely within Baghdad.

Energy Cooperation and Regional Initiatives

Despite keeping domestic security frameworks separate from external talks, the visit will focus heavily on economic and energy partnerships. Key topics on the bilateral agenda include:

• Natural Gas Supplies: Bilateral discussions will address cross-border gas management tailored to Iraq's national interest.
• Diplomatic Intermediary: Iraq continues to pursue a regional initiative centered on diplomatic solutions to stabilize ongoing regional tensions.
• Turkey Summit: The upcoming Tehran trip precedes a planned visit to Ankara at the end of the month, where water resource management will serve as the top agenda item.

Economic Safeguards and Hormuz Contingencies

Addressing the ongoing maritime friction in the Strait of Hormuz, al-Aboudi stated that Iraq has established an alternative roadmap alongside American firms to secure export routes for its oil. As a major energy supplier in the region, Baghdad is prioritizing new transit options to ensure uninterrupted global market access.

Furthermore, the Central Bank of Iraq will inject significant capital into the newly launched Development Fund, an initiative that has garnered openness and potential contributions from key international partners.

Domestic Anti-Corruption Campaign

On the domestic front, the spokesperson confirmed that political forces maintain strong consensus behind the prime minister’s anti-corruption drive. Executive and judicial oversight bodies will continue targeting public-sector graft without exception for political influence or organizational affiliation.

Al-Aboudi acknowledged brief delays in processing farmers' financial dues, attributing the backlog to recent regional developments, but reassured that resolving these payments remains a top government priority.