Iraqi PM steps into Iranian diplomatic minefield

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BAGHDAD (Reuters) - When Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari arrives on Saturday in Iran -- once Baghdad's mortal foe -- he will step into a diplomatic minefield that could blow up at home, in Washington or in the Arab world.

His visit will be the first in decades by a leader of Iraq to its much bigger Shi'ite Muslim neighbour.

Improving ties has been a stated goal of Baghdad and Tehran since the fall of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, who waged a 1980-1988 war with Iran in which a million people died.

But Sunni Muslim insurgents at home, Iraq's Arab neighbours and the United States all oppose a swift rapprochement, for varying reasons."
Reuters