Ahead of a top-level visit by Iran’s new president, Iraq seems to be garnering greater attention as the go-to place for Shiites looking for an alternative to its eastern neighbor.

Shiite Muslim devotees attend mourning rituals in Iraq’s central holy shrine city of Karbala on August 23, 2024 ahead of the Arbaeen commemorations that mark the end of the 40-day mourning period for the seventh century killing of the Prophet Mohamed’s grandson Imam Hussein ibn Ali. — AFP via Getty Images

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