Iran's Larijani arrives in Najaf

NAJAF, Iraq, March 24 (UPI) -- Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani arrived in Iraq Tuesday on an unofficial visit to meet with top Shiite clerics and visit holy sites in Najaf.

Larijani is expected to pay a visit to tomb of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the cousin of the prophet Mohammad and the first Shiite imam, and the home of the late Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Revolution.

Shiites around the world mourned the death of Khadijeh Saqafi, the so-called mother of the Islamic Revolution, who died during the weekend at the age of 93.

The speaker is expected to meet with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on Wednesday, the Voices of Iraq news agency reports.

Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency notes the Iranian envoy to Baghdad, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, said Larijani's visit was for religious reasons only, though he is expected to meet with top Iraqi officials during the week.

The visit is Larijani's second to Iraq since the fall of the regime of Saddam Hussein in 2003.