Iran’s new ambassador to Iraq has officially taken up his post in Baghdad, the first from the Islamic republic since 1980. Hassan Kazemi Qomi has served as charge d’affaires to Baghdad for the past two years, although the two countries agreed to raise their representatiion to ambassadorial level in September 2004. “There is good common ground between Iran and Iraq, and I hope this common ground will increase,” Iraqi President Jalal Talabani told Iranian television as he accepted Qomi’s credentials Tuesday. Full Story