Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: ‘Even one American in Iraq is too much,’ Iran’s leader tells Iraqi president

(CNN) Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei decried the presence of the US navy in Iraq throughout a gathering with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid in Tehran on Saturday.

“The presence of even one American in Iraq is too much,” Khamenei mentioned, Iranian state media outlet IRNA reported.

“Americans are not friends with anyone and are not even loyal to their European allies,” Khamenei mentioned, as he referred to as for Iran and Iraq to broaden “bilateral cooperation.”

Khamenei’s feedback observe US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s unannounced trip to Baghdad last month, when Austin mentioned US troops had been “ready to remain in Iraq.”

Iraqi President Rashid, in an announcement after his assembly with Khamenei, underscored the significance of Iraq-Iran relations however didn’t reply to his feedback on the presence of Americans in Iraq.

Austin, who in March turned the highest-ranking Cabinet official to go to Iraq for the reason that begin of the Biden administration, had mentioned he was in the nation to “reaffirm the US-Iraq strategic partnership as we move toward a more secure, stable and sovereign Iraq.”

His go to got here days earlier than the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq that ousted dictator Saddam Hussein from energy.

“Now looking forward, US forces are ready to remain in Iraq at the invitation of the government of Iraq,” Austin mentioned. “And these forces are operating in a non combat, advise, assist and enable role to support the Iraqi-led fight against terrorism. This is a critical mission. And we’re proud to support our Iraqi partners.”

Iraq is an vital companion to the US in the marketing campaign to defeat ISIS. But not like in Syria, the place US forces operated alongside Syrian Democratic Forces and different companions, the US navy serves in an advise-and-assist function in Iraq, having formally ended the fight mission in Iraq in 2021.

“The United States will continue to strengthen and broaden our partnerships in support of Iraqi security, stability and sovereignty,” Austin mentioned throughout his Baghdad go to.

Growing tensions

Iraq performs an important function for the United States in containing Iran’s affect in the area. Iran has tried to exert management over Iraq via using proxy forces and Tehran’s sway with Shia political events in Baghdad.

Tensions between the United States and Iran are additionally rising over Tehran’s actions in Syria.

US President Joe Biden final month vowed the US would “forcefully protect our people” as Iranian-backed teams launched assaults on US troops in Syria.

His feedback got here a day after approving retaliatory airstrikes in response to a drone assault by an Iranian-backed group in Syria that left one American useless and extra injured. Shortly earlier than the president spoke, one other American service member was injured in a separate strike in Syria.

“Make no mistake: the United States does not — does not — seek conflict with Iran. But be prepared for us to forcefully protect our people,” Biden had mentioned throughout remarks in Canada, the place he was on a two-day go to.

The US has additionally sanctioned Tehran for offering assault drones to Russia to make use of in the struggle in Ukraine.

And it has raised issues that Iran has the potential to supply sufficient fissile materials for a nuclear weapon in lower than two weeks and manufacture one inside months.

Additional reporting by Michael Callahan, Colin McCullough, Oren Liebermann, Natasha Bertrand and Haley Britzky