Ahmadinejad arrives for historic Iraq visit

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Baghdad today at the start of the first-ever trip by an Iranian president to Iraq.

A delegation of Iraqi officials gathered at Baghdad international airport to meet his flight, including Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.

Security was tight along the airport road. The US has said it would not be involved in providing security for Mr Ahmadinejad’s visit.

The visit gives Mr Ahmadinejad a chance to highlight the relationship his nation has with post-Saddam Hussein Iraq – both countries are led by Shiite Muslims.

It also serves as an act of defiance toward the United States, which accuses Iran of training and giving weapons to Shiite extremists.