Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani arrived in Baghdad for a two-day visit focused on restructuring the “Axis of Resistance” and boosting Iraq’s role in regional stability, an informed source confirmed to Shafaq News on Monday.

According to the source, Larijani aims to ''reorganize the regional alliance after a period of weakened leadership, with efforts to formalize protocols for this process.'' His talks with Iraqi officials will also cover the urgent formation of a government to stabilize Iraq and the wider region. A meeting with Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, is not planned.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani oversaw the signing of a security memorandum of understanding with Larijani, further reaffirming Iraq’s backing of dialogue between the United States and Iran.

Larijani’s visit comes amid heightened political maneuvering in Baghdad, as US officials press the Iraqi government to reject the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Authority law, which would formalize and expand the powers of the paramilitary coalition that includes several Iran-aligned factions.