Ayatollah Khamenei Calls on Iraqi PM to Make US Troops Leave Iraq As Soon As Possible
TEHRAN (FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in a meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said that Baghdad government should pave the way for the expulsion of the US troops from Iraq without any further delay.
"The presence of the US troops in the region, including Iraq, could harm the interests of any country where they had established a long presence, while at the same time the US and its stooges in the region oppose the current democratic process in Iraq and believe that it would be against their interests," Ayatollah Khamenei said while calling on the Iraqi prime minister to expedite the exit of the American troops from that country.
Iran's Supreme Leader further said that the Iraqi government, parliament and current political activists are not favored by the US and therefore Washington is hatching plots to eliminate them from Iraq's political scene.
"Despite their remarks, the Americans regard democracy and Iraq's current political activists to their detriment and based on this, the Iraqi government should do something to ensure that American military troops will leave Iraq as soon as possible," Ayatollah Khamenei added.
The Supreme Leader, meantime, pointed to the status quo of Iran-Iraq relations, and said, "Relations between Tehran and Baghdad are beyond (normal) relations between two neighboring countries and the Iranian government and nation regard progress and prosperity of Iraq as beneficial to themselves."
Ayatollah Khamenei, meantime, reiterated that Iraq could turn into the Arab world’s most influential country thanks to its human capacities and rich resources.
The Supreme Leader also pointed to contradictory remarks and intentions of American and Saudi officials, and said, "They funneled money, weapons and equipment to Daesh (the ISIL) at a time that the terrorists had occupied Mosul, and now that Iraq has overcome Daesh, they are uttering friendly words."
Ayatollah Khamenei lauded Abdul-Mahdi's wise and prudent stance on regional issues, particularly the developments in Iraq, and said, "The Iraqi youth were among the country's human capacities that had passed the exam of the fight against Daesh terrorists in a good and admirable way and marked a historical event."
The Supreme Leader recalled that scientists and elites were among Iraq's other human capacities, and said, "The US had killed many Iraqi scientists because it was aware of the significance of this important asset."
Ayatollah Khamenei, meantime, reiterated the importance of maintaining full vigilance against the ISIL remnants because they will once again embark on their crimes, if they feel a moment of weakness among the Iraqi government and nation.
The Supreme Leader further said that the Iranian and Iraqi nations had common beliefs and cultural and historic bonds.
During the meeting, which was also attended by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, the Iraqi prime minister said the Iranian government and nation had always supported the Iraqis in difficult times, particularly in their fight against the ISIL.
The Iraqi Prime Minister, for his part, voiced his satisfaction in his country's relations with Iran, emphasizing that Iraq would never be part of the US sanctions against Tehran.
Earlier on Saturday in a joint press conference with President Rouhani, Abdul-Mahdi, reiterated that Baghdad owes its peace and security to Tehran.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran helped us in the fight against terrorism and we managed to achieve many victories that contributed to the current peace and stability in Iraq," the Iraqi Prime Minister said at the presser.
"We believe that it was due to Iran’s support that Iraq succeeded in reaching this point, he added," he added.
The Iraqi prime minister also stressed that his country is resolved to prevent any group from using its soil to launch threats against Iran.
In a relevant development in early March, President Rouhani visited Iraq and the two countries sealed many agreements during the first visit of Rouhani to the Arab country.
During a meeting between a high-ranking delegation from Iran and senior Iraqi officials in Baghdad on March 11, the Iranian president said that Tehran was ready to increase the volume of its energy exports to Iraq.