ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein held a series of high-level meetings in Tehran on Sunday with senior Iranian officials, focusing on regional stability, security coordination, and Iraq’s political transition.

Hussein met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani.

The talks underscored the view that regional security is interconnected and that dialogue and cooperation are needed to ease tensions and support development.

Hussein briefed Iranian officials on Iraq’s political process, saying the country is nearing the completion of constitutional steps, including the selection of a new president and the formation of a new government.

He said Iraq is seeking a stable political environment that would enable the next government to engage constructively with regional and international partners and address economic and security challenges.

Iranian officials, for their part, referred to recent internal developments and economic pressures in Iran and emphasized the importance of dialogue, regional stability, and continued cooperation with Iraq.

Discussions also touched on strengthening bilateral ties, including parliamentary coordination and security cooperation to address shared regional challenges.

Hussein said Iraq aims to play a constructive role in supporting regional stability and reducing tensions across the Middle East.

Iran has been engulfed in nationwide protests since late last year, as business owners and shopkeepers at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar went on strike and staged demonstrations over the falling value of the Iranian rial against the US dollar.

The unrest later spread to other provinces, with chants increasingly targeting the state, prompting a harsh crackdown by authorities. Rights monitors report that over 3,000 protesters have been killed, more than 2,000 injured, and over 22,000 arrested. Iran has labeled the protesters “rioters” and accused them of being agents of the US and Israel.