Iran’s top security chief heads to Iraq, Lebanon

TEHRAN: Iran’s top security chief, Ali Larijani, was in Iraq on Monday ahead of a visit to Lebanon. Iranian state television said Larijani, the head of the National Security Council, had departed on the three-day trip, his first since being appointed.

Larijani signed a bilateral security agreement in Iraq before heading to Lebanon, where he will meet senior Lebanese officials and figures, state TV said. There were no immediate details on the security deal. In Iraq, Larijani met with National Security Adviser Qassem al Araji and discussed “the implementation of the security agreement” as well as the situation in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from Araji’s office.

A top Iraqi government official said that the aim of the visit was to discuss the agreement and inform Iraq “about Iran’s position on the latest developments regarding the conflict with the United States and Israel”. Iranian state television later said Larijani and Araji signed a “joint security memorandum of understanding”. — AFP