DUBAI - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian headed for close ally Iraq on Wednesday, on his first official foreign trip, Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

Iraq hosts several Iran-aligned parties and armed groups. Tehran has been steadily increasing its sway in Iraq since a U.S.-led invasion toppled its enemy Saddam Hussein in 2003.

"We are planning to sign several agreements. We will meet senior Iraqi officials in Baghdad," Pezeshkian, a relative moderate, said ahead of his trip, according to Iran's state media.

Baghdad is also a close ally of Washington.

  - Reuters