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Iran urges regional countries to expel US troops

Regional nations should struggle to end military presence of the US in region and expel these occupiers, says Rouhani

Xinhua January 14, 2020

Regional nations should struggle to end military presence of the US in region and expel these occupiers, says Rouhani. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

TEHRAN: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that the regional countries should drive the United States military forces out of the region, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"The regional nations should struggle to put an end to the military presence of the United States in the region and expel these occupiers," Rouhani made the remarks during a meeting with the visiting Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis.

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For his part, Khamis said that "the presence of the US forces in Syria is an ostensible example of occupation."

"We believe that the regional nations and countries should stand against their (US forces) illegitimate presence in the region," said Khamis.

The prime minister expressed his gratitude for what he called Iran's supports to the Syrian government, saying that Iran deserves the priority in reconstructing Syria and his country will invite the Iranian companies and private sectors to get involved in reconstruction projects.

Heading a high-ranking delegation, Khamis arrived in the Iranian capital Tehran on Sunday for talks on bilateral ties as well as regional developments.

COMMENTS (3)

Fareeda | 4 years ago | Reply Yes , Arab countries should form some union like EU and keep outsiders away .

Ali Hashim | 4 years ago | Reply I think that by responding to the US assassination of Qasem Solemani by a missile strike against a US base in Iraq the Iranians may have lost more than what they could have gained by NOT responding militarily. Specifically, by doing so, they may have lost a great opportunity to reduce US influence in the area. Let us examine this proposition. To start with the attack was pointless in so far as it did not succeed in inflicting any significant damage either militarily or politically. Secondly, there is a theory that the strike was just THEATRE meant to show the domestic Iranian audience that Iran had responded effectively, while the US was informed in advance of the attack so it could move its personnel and important assets, this to ensure that there would not be any US counter military operation. However, by acting as it did, Iran has shown that like the US, it has no compunctions against carrying out an attack on Iraqi territory. Note that It was this disregard of Iraqi sovereignty by the US that had enraged the Iragis' and had made the Iraqi Parliament ask for a withdrawal of US forces from Iraq. Now the net result of all this is that the US has gotten away with killing an important Iranian commander without suffering any military damage - which was unlikely any way- but more importantly the pressure on the US to withdraw from Iraq has also reduced. This loss of a significant pressure point is a significant loss for both Iran and Iraq which could have made up for the Soleimani killing.

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