Jordan King Abdullah's visit to Iraq postponed

Baghdad: Iraq's government says Jordan's king has postponed a visit to Baghdad until further notice.

The announcement on Tuesday came shortly after Jordan confirmed that King Abdullah II would visit Iraq. No Arab head of state has made the trip since Saddam Hussain was toppled in 2003.

Iraq's government spokesman Ali Al Dabbagh says the king's "commitments" prevented him from travelling to Iraq.

Iraqi officials announced the trip last week, but officials in both countries had declined to disclose the date for security reasons. It was believed that the visit would have been on Wednesday.

Sunni Arab nations have been wary of Iraq's ties to Shiite power Iran. But last week, Jordan named an ambassador to Baghdad, signalling improved ties.