ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The upcoming visit of Syria’s new foreign minister to Baghdad is “important” for Iraq, a source within the Iraqi foreign ministry told The New Region on Wednesday, adding that the exact date of the visit will be determined in the coming days.

Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Wednesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said that he has received an official invitation from Iraq and will visit Baghdad “soon”.

A source within the Iraqi foreign ministry, who spoke to The New Region on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Iraqi Foreign Minister has extended a formal invitation to Shaibani earlier this year, but noted that the Syrian top diplomat “was late in responding to the invitation due to his schedule of foreign visits throughout the past period.”

“Shaibani's visit is important for Iraq, in order to coordinate on many security, economic, and other issues,” the source noted. “The official date for the visit will be decided within the next two days, as work is underway to arrange technical and other procedures to make Shaibani's visit to Baghdad a success.”

Amr al-Faiz, a member of the Iraqi parliament’s foreign relations committee, stressed that there are no political or parliamentary objections to Shaibani’s visit.

The visit “comes within the framework of Iraq's openness to all neighboring countries and the region, and it is in accordance with an official invitation, and there are no political or parliamentary reservations about that visit,” the lawmaker told The New Region. “Rather, everyone respects the change in Syria and is in favor of not interfering in Syria's internal affairs.”

Border control, economy, trade, water, and other issues are expected to be discussed during the Syrian foreign minister’s trip, according to Faiz.

Shaibani was reportedly set to visit the Iraqi capital in early January but the trip was postponed indefinitely. The visit would mark the first of a delegation from the new Syrian administration to the neighboring country, as the two sides slowly work toward establishing ties.

The Iraqi government, closely aligned with Iran, supported Assad’s regime, and has been hesitant in establishing ties with the new authorities in Syria. An Iraqi delegation, headed by Intelligence Service chief Hamid al-Shatri, arrived in Damascus in late December and met with the new Syrian administration, including Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.