Iran's parliament speaker to visit Baghdad, top of agenda: oil exports via Strait of Hormuz

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A high-level Iranian delegation led by Shura Council Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf will visit Baghdad on Wednesday to meet Iraqi officials and political figures, with the transit of Iraqi oil through the Strait of Hormuz set to dominate the agenda. The delegation will also address the consolidation of weapons under Iraqi state control and Tehran's stance on the issue. According to the source, the talks will cover Iran's concerns over the possibility of a new war and the implications of regional developments for both Iraq and Iran. The question of bringing arms under state authority remains one of the most sensitive files for the Iraqi government, as the September 30 deadline set by major political forces approaches. The State Administration Alliance has previously announced that activities threatening security outside official institutions will be deemed illegal and handled under counterterrorism law. Armed groups have taken varying positions, with some indicating openness to restructuring with the state, while formations including Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba and Sayyid al-Shuhada brigades have conditioned any disarmament on the withdrawal of foreign forces.