Brown will meet officials from the three main sects in Iraq: Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi and Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih, a Kurd. He will also hold a news conference at 12.30 p.m. (0930 GMT).
The decision by Brown's predecessor Tony Blair to join the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was deeply unpopular in Britain and his ruling Labour Party, and ultimately led to him being hounded from power after a decade in office.
Since taking over in June, Brown has sought to draw a line under Blair's rule and there has been growing speculation he wants to pull more troops from Iraq, perhaps as a precursor to calling a snap general election.
Brown does not have to call an election until 2010. However his solid lead over the main opposition Conservative Party has boosted talk among political commentators that he may call a national vote to win a popular mandate.
Some political analysts still say he is unlikely to take the risk as he could end up with either a smaller majority, or out of office all together after waiting so long for the top job.
Economic development will be a big theme in Brown's visit to Iraq and the prime minister will want an update on the process of political reconciliation, the British official said.
Feuding between Iraq's political camps has hamstrung the government and delayed progress on key reforms Washington wants.
A key element in Tuesday's talks will be on transferring responsibility for Basra province to Iraqi authorities by the end of the year, completing the handover of power in all four southern provinces for which Britain was once responsible.
Basra has enormous strategic importance as the hub for Iraq's vital oil exports that account for 90 percent of its revenue and a centre of imports and exports throughout the Gulf.
While the British were frequent targets -- 41 soldiers were killed this year, the most since 2003 -- Basra has also been the centre of a turf war between Shi'ite groups.
Mortar rounds used to crash almost daily into the Basra palace base, making life hazardous for British and Iraqis alike in the country's second-largest city. Those attacks have largely stopped since the British troops withdrew.
