Washington beefed up its military presence near Iran earlier this month, deploying a carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf in a move one senior Iranian commander has called “theatrics.” At the same time, the US has been gradually paring down its permanent troop presence in Iraq amid constant attacks on its interests.
US forces in the Middle East undermine stability and security, and all nations in the region where American troops are based should make a concerted effort to expel them, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said.
“We have always made our position clear: We regard the presence of the US armed forces in the region, whether in Iraq, Afghanistan or the countries of the southern Persian Gulf area as detrimental to regional security and stability,” Rouhani said, speaking to Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Tehran on Saturday.
Iraq's Parliament overwhelmingly supported a Bill calling for the expulsion of US troops from the country after the assassination of a senior Iranian commander and a senior Baghdad-allied militia leader in the Iraqi capital in a US drone strike in January.
“We have always stood by the Iraqi people and the country's legitimate government,” he said.
The Islamic Republic provided extensive logistical, advisory and arms support to a 40 militia-strong Iraqi state-sponsored military unit collectively known as the Popular Mobilisation Force (PMF) during the 2014-2017 military operation against Daesh. Quds Force Commander…
