Iran top diplomat to visit Baghdad for talks

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran’s foreign minister is set to visit Baghdad on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties and mutual topics, including the Palestinian issue with Israel having declared an all-out-war on Gaza. 

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian will travel to Baghdad to meet with Iraqi officials and discuss “bilateral ties and issues of mutual interest, including the latest developments in the region,” Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. 

On Sunday, Amir-Abdollahian and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein in a phone call talked about the developments in Gaza, stressing the need to cooperate in solidarity of the Palestinian people.

Over 2,500 people have been reported dead on both sides since Saturday, when the armed wing Palestinian Hamas movement launched a multi-pronged air, ground, and sea offensive and penetrated into Israeli territory on Saturday at dawn, resulting in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration the following day that the country was “embarking on a long and difficult war.”

The Israeli army has reported over 1,300 dead while Palestinian officials have placed their death toll at 1,354.

Hamas has called on “resistance fighters” in Arab countries to join its campaign dubbed “Operation al-Aqsa Flood” against Israel while the US has reiterated its support for Israel, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announcing that Washington would be sending equipment and munitions to Israel, the first shipment of which arrived at Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel on Tuesday.