“And while certainly we would welcome any statements of support for Iraq’s government and democracy, and any pledges to act in a responsible way that does not interfere in the internal affairs of Iraq,’’ he said, “we certainly want to make sure that any statements made were followed up by real concrete actions to address some of the concerns that are out there.’’

Mr. Maliki said today that the American accusations of Iranian interference in Iraq will not affect economic deals that have already been signed between the two countries.

“All the political, security and economic accords that have been signed with the Islamic republic’s officials will be carried out,” he said.

Mr. Maliki is leading a large delegation that includes Mowaffak al-Rubaie, the Iraqi national security adviser, who is close to some Iranian officials. The Iraqis are scheduled to meet on Wednesday with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a powerful former president. Mr. Maliki’s predecessor, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, visited Iran in July 2005.

In the southern Iraqi city of Najaf, another Shiite leader close to Iran, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, defended his decision last week to ask Parliament to endorse a mechanism allowing Iraqi provinces to form autonomous regions. Mr. Hakim’s move has roiled Iraqi politics, spurring the legislators who answer to Moktada al-Sadr, the radical Shiite cleric, to unite with the Parliament’s main Sunni Arab and secular blocs to try to sink Mr. Hakim’s plan. The Sunni Arabs are especially opposed to the idea of regional autonomy, called federalism in the Iraqi Constitution, because their provinces lack oil resources.

“We think that federalism is one of the administrative ways that helps to secure our rights, remove oppression and prevent sectarian discrimination among people of one country and one belief,” Mr. Hakim said.

In Anbar Province, the western region that is home to the Sunni-led insurgency, the American commander of forces in the area said he agreed with a classified intelligence assessment filed last month by a colonel that said Anbar was in a precarious state and could continue to deteriorate.