Presence of foreign forces not acceptable in Iraq: Official

An Iraqi official has expressed his opposition to the presence of foreign forces in Iraq, saying they only aggravate problems in the war-stricken country.

According to the reports, Deputy Iraqi Parliament Speaker Humam Hamoudi made the remarks in a press conference after a meeting with Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on international affairs, in Baghdad on Saturday.

Hamoudi said that only the parliament is authorized to decide on any foreign military presence.

"The presence of foreign forces in the Iraqi territory is not acceptable. This issue has been raised at the parliament and will be decided upon," he said.

Hamoudi also stressed that problems in the region should be resolved by the residents and that the presence of foreign forces worsens the situation. 

The victories over Daesh were achieved by the Iraqi people, and the presence of the Takfiri terrorist group or other outfits should not be used as a pretext for foreign boots on Iraqi soil, he added.

Velayati, for his part, hailed the strategic Iran-Iraq relations, noting that the Islamic Republic will spare no effort to develop bilateral ties.

He further emphasized that defending Iraq means defending Iran and vice versa.

Secretary General of Iraq's Badr Organization Hadi al-Ameri, who was also present at the press conference, said that Tehran and Baghdad share similar views on the security, economic and political challenges facing the region.

SS