The Iraqi government has declared Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, persona non grata ahead of the funeral ceremony for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to political sources, News.Az reports, citing the publication Monte Carlo Doualiya.
According to the report, the Iraqi authorities have formally communicated the decision to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The report added that the measure was accompanied by additional restrictions, including a ban on meetings between Iranian officials and members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), as well as other local armed groups.
The reported measures come as Iraq prepares for an upcoming visit by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to the United States, where he is expected to pursue major military and economic agreements with Washington.
The Iraqi government has not publicly commented on the reported measures.