Iran is pushing Iraq to eject US troops but is wary of carrying out attacks that could cause casualties to US personnel stationed in its western neighbor.
On Saturday, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met with senior Iranian officials during a trip to Iran in what was among the first major face-to-face meetings in a while due to the COVID crisis.
They come amid increasing rumors of Iran’s role in Iraq, and warnings by the US against continued attacks on its embassy in Baghdad.
The Iran-Iraq discussions this weekend began with a meeting between Hussein and Iran’s Speaker of the Consultative Assembly, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf (Ghalibaf). Iraq’s
Qalibaf and Hussein are both Kurdish, and Hussein is not known for anti-US sentiments, but as Iraq’s foreign minister he was in Iran to hear out the Iranians on the latest issues. Iraq’s
“We believe that Iraq currently has a positive role in the region,” the Iranian said. Iraq’s
He then claimed the US-backed ISIS and spreads instability in the region and Iraq’s.
“Some countries in the region, under pressure from the United States, normalized relations with the Zionist regime.
Undoubtedly, the Islamic world should not be silent on this issue, and it is necessary because the issue of Palestine is the first priority of the Islamic Ummah,” Qalibaf said.
He then emphasized that Iran has always supported Iraq as an Islamic country.