'Even one American in Iraq is too many': Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei tells Iraqi president
Iran opposes the strong presence of the US military in Iraq, who are mostly in the country to help local troops combat Islamic State remnants.
2 min read
"Americans are not friends of Iraq. Americans are not friends with anyone", Ayatollah Ali Khameini said to Iraqi leader Abdul Latif Rashid [Getty]
The United States is an unreliable friend, and Iraq should not allow any US troops on its territory, Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told visiting Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid on Saturday.
Iran, which has strong ties with Iraq, opposes the US military presence on its borders in Iraq and the Gulf, saying Western military intervention is the root of insecurity in the region.
"Americans are not friends of Iraq. Americans are not friends with anyone and are not even loyal to their European friends," state media quoted Khamenei as saying.
US national security agencies are investigating after a leak of classified documents has suggested the United States spied on allies including Ukraine.
"Even the presence of one American in Iraq is too much," Khamenei told Rashid, who was in Tehran with a delegation to boost ties between the two neighbours.
The United States has some 2,500 troops in Iraq to help advise and assist local troops in combating Islamic State, which in 2014 seized territory in the country.
"Iraq's main effort is to deepen relations with Iran and resolve certain remaining issues between the two countries," Rashid was quoted as saying, without referring to Iraq's ties with the United States.
(Reuters)
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