TEHRAN – Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will visit Iran on Monday for talks with Iranian officials.

It will be Maliki’s first visit to Iran after the March parliamentary elections in Iraq.
During his stay Maliki will discuss developments in Iraq with Iran’s top officials.
Seven months after an inconclusive election, Maliki is trying to build a coalition government that will keep him in office as prime minister.
Iran has said it favors no particular person for the post of prime minister in Iraq and reiterated its position that it will back a unified and secure Iraq.
Maliki visited Damascus on Wednesday for talks with the Syrian leader. He also plans to travel to Jordan and Turkey later this month.
According to Reuters, a Syrian official statement said President Bashar al-Assad had emphasized ""the importance of coming up with a unity cabinet"" for Iraq during his meeting with Maliki.
Maliki's State of Law faction has 89 of the 163 seats needed for a majority to elect him prime minister.
Maliki has already received backing from National Alliance of Shiite parties, which have secured 70 seats in the parliament