The Iraqi prime minister's trip to London, during which he will also meet King Charles III, comes more than 20 years after Britain took part in the US-led invasion of Iraq.

A "strategic partnership" to be signed during the trip would consolidate cooperation and be "one of the most important steps in relations between Iraq and the United Kingdom, representing the start of a new era", Sudani told AFP during the flight from Baghdad.

The three-day visit comes amid a complicated situation in the Middle East fuelled by the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, as well as a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and the Lebanese pro-Iranian militant group Hezbollah.

Donald Trump will also move back into the White House next week, with observers expecting he will resume his hardline stance towards Iran.

Oil-rich Iraq, which is an ally of Iran as well as a strategic partner for Washington, has for decades practised a delicate balancing act, while also seeking to deepen its ties to wealthy Gulf countries.

Sudani was due to first meet Tuesday with the UK's head of state King Charles, before meeting Starmer at Downing Street.

The visit will see the start of talks on a returns agreement for Iraqi irregular migrants to the UK, Starmer's office said.

The leaders will also unveil a pound12.3 billion ($15 billion) export package to boost opportunities for British businesses, it added.

Starmer said the trip "marks a new era in UK-Iraq cooperation, which will deliver mutual benefits from trade to defence, as we continue to work together towards stability in the wider region".

- Security deal -

Immigration, both irregular and regular, was a major issue in the UK's July general election, which brought the premier's Labour party to power.

"Secure borders are a vital foundation of our plan for change, so I am also very pleased to get started on talks for a bespoke returns agreement between our countries," Starmer said in a statement.

"The deal will help dismantle the people smugglers' business model by sending the clear message that if you come here illegally, you cannot expect to stay."

Sudani will also meet with business leaders including from oil giant BP.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, following a visit to Iraq and its autonomous Kurdistan region in November, said a security agreement with Iraq to target people-smuggling gangs and strengthen its border security was already having "an impact".

Due to strengthened border security, better intelligence-sharing, and "additional funding to support Iraq's law enforcement capabilities, we're targeting people smuggling gangs where it hurts," she said.

Swept to power in a landslide election victory in July, Starmer has had a bumpy first six months in power and is under pressure to kickstart growth and slash immigration.

The number of irregular migrants arriving in Britain on small boats soared to over 36,800 in 2024, according to official data.

At least 76 deaths were recorded, making it the deadliest year for migrants who are taking ever greater risks to evade Britain's border controls.

Tuesday's talks come as Sudani said his country was preparing for the end of the military presence in Iraq of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.

The US maintains about 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 more in Syria seeking to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State jihadist group.

President Joe Biden's administration has agreed with Iraq to end the coalition's role by September 2025, but stopped short of a complete withdrawal of the US forces, whose presence has been opposed by Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq.

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