The president was seen off at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport by First Vice-President Parviz Davoudi and a number of his cabinet members.



The visit is taking place at the official invitation of President Ahmadinejad's Iraqi counterpart, Jalal Talebani.



The president left Tehran at the head of delegation which included Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, ministers of energy, economy and transport as well as a group of Majlis deputies.



During his visit, the president is to confer with the deputies to the Iraqi president, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, heads of political parties, United Iraq Coalition and Iraqi Kurdistan provincial administration.



The two sides are to discuss issues of mutual interest including ways to facilitate transport between the two countries, energy cooperation, commercial links and Iranian contribution to Iraqi economic development.



It is also expected that five to ten agreements to be signed during the visit by officials of the two neighboring states on economic cooperation.



Iranian and Iraqi ministers of energy would attend a ground breaking ceremony for establishing two power plants in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala. The projects are to be carried out with the help of Iranian experts.



Iraqi Ambassador in Tehran Mohammad Majeed al-Sheikh has earlier told IRNA that President Ahmadinejad's visit to Baghdad would play a major role in promotion of bilateral relations and cooperation in various political, economic and industrial fields.



Tight security measures have been put in place in Baghdad prior to the visit to Iraq of the Iranian president.



An Iraqi security official said on Saturday that Baghdad Security Project Command has taken special security arrangement for the visit.



Spokesman of Baghdad Security Project Brigadier General Ghassem Ata added that some streets and ways would be closed, if needed.



Iraqi presidential office spokesman had earlier told IRNA correspondent in Baghdad that 30,000 presidential guards are contributing to special security arrangements to guarantee the Iranian president's safety during the historic visit.

 Tehran, March 2, IRNA