Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, is set to travel to Iraq, marking his first official foreign visit since taking office. The move underscores the importance of Iraq in Iran’s foreign policy priorities. Notably, the current government in Baghdad, led by Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' Al-Sudani, is considered the closest to Tehran since the downfall of Ba’ath Party rule in 2003.

At the same time, Sudani appears to be prioritizing the strengthening of ties with Arab states rather than Iran. This could reflect comfort with the level of support from his Iran-backed political allies, and faith in the...