US Occupying Forces’ Presence in Iraq Illegal: Ayatollah Khamenei

In a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani in the capital Tehran on Wednesday, the Leader described the presence of American occupying forces in Iraq as illegal and against the interests of the Iraqi people and government, emphasizing that there are signs and evidence indicating the Americans’ efforts to expand their presence in the Arab country.

He said the occupation must be firmly resisted.

The United States invaded Iraq in 2003 under the pretext that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, an allegation later proven wrong. In 2014, it led scores of its allies in a so-called mission to defeat the Takfiri Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terrorist group without a mandate from the United Nations.

However, the US-led coalition proved to be largely ineffective against Daesh, which was ultimately defeated by Iraqi armed forces backed by the country’s Popular Mobilization Units, better known as Hashd al-Sha’abi.

The terror group was forced out of Mosul, its headquarters in the country’s north, back in late 2017.

During the Wednesday meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei also said the more secure Iraq is, the more it will benefit the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“The more prosperous and secure Iraq becomes, the greater the benefit for the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated.

The Leader expressed gratitude for Sudani’s moves toward prosperity and security in Iraq.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei placed a premium on unity and cohesion among the various sects and ethnicities of Iraq, underscoring the strong relationship between the Iraqi government and people.

“As you have pointed out, the Popular Mobilization Forces are a key component of power in Iraq, and efforts must be made to preserve and further strengthen them,” the Leader told Sudani, according to Press TV.

Ayatollah Khamenei also said the role of foreign governments in the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria was evident.

In the Wednesday meeting, which was also attended by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iraqi prime minister hoped that negotiations and agreements made in the Iranian capital would further expand and deepen the relations between the two countries.

Sudani listed “the Iraqi people”, “the Popular Mobilization Forces”, “national unity and cohesion”, and “the religious authority” as components of power in Iraq.

The Iraqi prime minister also touched on the Israeli campaign of genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip and its aggression against Lebanon, emphasizing that Iraq’s principled stance has been to support the people of Gaza and Lebanon and the resistance in the region.

Referring to the developments in Syria and the role of foreign actors in its recent developments, Sudani said Iraq's stance has always been to support the will of the Syrian people, preserve the Arab country’s independence and territorial integrity, and establish an inclusive government.