Imam Khamenei: US Forces in Iraq Root Cause of Country’s Problem

Local Editor

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei said that "the US presence in Iraq is the root cause of the country's problems."


During a meeting with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in Tehran on Saturday, Imam Khamenei praised the efforts of the Iraqi government and people to pass through the difficult straits and warned that "the US forces in Iraq will make use of any possible dispute among Iraqi political parties in order to extend their military presence in the country."
In addition, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the necessity of strengthening ties between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq. The Islamic Revolution leader also met with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in Tehran.
During the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei said the US of attempting to create strife in Pakistan to achieve its "illegitimate objectives" and asserted that the US policies in the Middle East are doomed to failure due to Washington's aggressive and interfering presence in the region, reported IRNA.

Earlier in the day, during a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Imam Khamenei said that the United States wants to have a permanent military base in Afghanistan and noted that as long as US troops stay in Afghanistan, it will not be possible to establish security in the war-torn country.

Ayatollah Khamenei further stated that the US position in the region and in the international arena has been weakened considerably, saying, "The Americans have been weakened in the region and even in the world compared to the past, and the US leaders are trying to compensate for their weakness in the region, but they will not achieve any results."

The three presidents; Talabani, Zardari, and Karzai are in Tehran to attend the two-day International Conference on the Global Fight against Terrorism, which opened in Tehran on Saturday.