The story: Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian has chosen Iraq as the destination for his first trip abroad as Iran’s president. The announcement of the upcoming visit comes amid continued anticipation of Iran’s response to Israel’s suspected killing of a top Hamas leader in Tehran. The trip aligns with Iraq’s efforts to distance itself from any potential expansion of the Gaza war, and to bolster its role as an interlocutor for contact with Iran.

The coverage: Iraqi media on Aug. 28 quoted Iran’s ambassador to Baghdad as saying that Pezeshkian will lead a high-profile delegation to...