The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid on Saturday that the United States is an unreliable friend and Iraq should not allow any American troops on its territory.
Official media reported Khamenei stating during his meeting with Rashid, "The Americans are not friends of Iraq. The Americans are not friends of anyone, not even loyal to their European allies." He added, "The presence of even one American in Iraq is too much."
For his part, the Iraqi president stated that he is focusing on deepening relations with Iran and resolving some outstanding issues between the two countries, without mentioning his country's relations with the United States. The United States has about 2,500 troops in Iraq to assist and support local forces in the fight against the Islamic State, which took control of parts of the country in 2014.
