Iran’s presence in Iraq and Syria is at the countries’ request, not intervention: Khamenei
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday denied that Iran's presence in Syria and Iraq is foreign intervention, according to state media.
“The leader of the revolution pointed out that Iran's presence in Syria and Iraq is an advisory presence, not a military one,” reported state-run IRNA, adding that Iran was there at the request of the two countries’ governments.
The Americans should leave Iraq and Syria once and for all, Khamenei added.
US forces have come under repeated attack since Washington's assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in a January 2020 airstrike, also killing Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, the Iraqi deputy of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi).
Militias close to Tehran often carry out attacks on US and international sites in Syria and Iraq, including the US embassy in Baghdad and Iraqi military bases hosting coalition troops.
Iraq's parliament passed a non-binding resolution in favor of expelling foreign troops after the US assassinations. Subsequent discussions included expanding NATO's role as a compromise.
“The leader of the revolution pointed out that Iran's presence in Syria and Iraq is an advisory presence, not a military one,” reported state-run IRNA, adding that Iran was there at the request of the two countries’ governments.
The Americans should leave Iraq and Syria once and for all, Khamenei added.
US forces have come under repeated attack since Washington's assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in a January 2020 airstrike, also killing Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, the Iraqi deputy of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi).
Militias close to Tehran often carry out attacks on US and international sites in Syria and Iraq, including the US embassy in Baghdad and Iraqi military bases hosting coalition troops.
Iraq's parliament passed a non-binding resolution in favor of expelling foreign troops after the US assassinations. Subsequent discussions included expanding NATO's role as a compromise.