The threat from Iranian-backed militia to U.S. forces in Iraq continues to be "significant," the U.S. State Department's senior diplomat for the Middle East said on Thursday, adding that Washington was taking "with a pinch of salt" a ceasefire declaration by Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah, Reuters reported.
Speaking to reporters in a teleconference, David Schenker, Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. State Department also praised the previous work of Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Iraq's intelligence chief who was named as prime-minister designate on Thursday.