Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hakim (R) shakes hands with his Iranian counterpart Mohammed Javad Zarif in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 10, 2019. Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hakim said on Sunday that Iraq is looking forward to boosting ties and promoting cooperation in various fields with neighboring Iran. Al-Hakim's comments came during his meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mohammed Javad Zarif, who is in Iraq to prepare for the visit of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani arrived in Iraq's capital Baghdad Monday on an official visit aimed at boosting bilateral ties, the Iraqi official television reported.

The state-run Iraqiya channel said that Rouhani arrived at Baghdad international airport and he will meet with top Iraqi officials and other political and religious leaders.

Rouhani's three-day visit came at the invitation of his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih to discuss bilateral ties and promote cooperation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif arrived in Baghdad on Sunday, preparing for Rouhani's official visit.

The visit comes as the United States has been exerting sanctions on Iran's oil industry and its banking and transport sectors, after Washington pulled out from the 2015 nuclear deal last May.