Iran's Acting Foreign Minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, is set to embark on his inaugural visit to the Kurdistan Region and Iraq following his recent appointment. The trip's itinerary is currently being coordinated with Iraqi authorities, according to an Iranian official.

Bagheri Kani is presently attending the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Moscow. Before arriving in Russia, he conducted an extensive regional tour that included visits to Turkiye, Syria, and Lebanon.

In a recent press briefing, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani addressed the upcoming Iranian presidential elections. Kanaani emphasized the measures taken to ensure broader participation from Iranians residing abroad. "All embassies have received the necessary instructions to facilitate the presidential elections," he stated.

The impending visit to Iraq by Bagheri Kani is particularly noteworthy as the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had also planned to visit the country, which would have marked his first trip there since assuming office. Raisi tragically died in a helicopter crash earlier this year.

On Sunday, Iran's interior ministry announced a list of six approved candidates for the June 28 election to succeed President Raisi. The Guardian Council, tasked with overseeing elections, selected the candidates from a pool of 80 registered individuals. The approved list is dominated by conservative figures, including parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. Massoud Pezeshkian stands out as the sole reformist candidate.

As the election date approaches, Iran continues to navigate its complex political landscape, balancing internal political dynamics and external diplomatic engagements.