Tehran - Speaker of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Ali Larijani left here for the holy city of Najaf, Iraq, Tuesday to meet senior Iraqi officials and religious leaders.
The city of Najaf is about 160 km south of the capital Baghdad and is considered as the third holiest city of Shia Islam and the center of Shia political power in Iraq.
Najaf is renowned as the site of the tomb of Imam Alī (AS), the First Imam of Shiite Muslims.
The Najaf seminary is one of the most important teaching centers in the Islamic World and many of the leading figures of the new Islamic movement had studied at Najaf.
During his three-day stay in Iraq, Larijani will also visit the holy city of Karbala located about 100 km southwest of Baghdad.
The city, best known as the location of the Battle of Karbala (680), is amongst the holiest cities for Shia Muslims after Mecca and Medina. It is home to the Imam Hussein (AS) shrine. Karbala is considered sacred by both Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
The capital city of Baghdad is the last destination of the Iranian Majlis spkear in his three-day visit to Iraq.
During his stay, Larijani, who is accompanied by a number of MPs, is to discuss major regional developments with senior Iraqi officials and religious leaders.
He will also exchange views on promotion of bilateral cooperation between parliaments of the two neighboring countries.
His visit to Iraq is in continuation of a series of his last week visits to a number of regional states including Turkey, Lebanon and Syria where he discussed significant regional developments with senior officials of those countries.
© IRNA 2012
