Iran to Iraq: Even one American in Iraq is 'too many'

In a meeting with the Iraqi president, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that even the presence of a single American in Iraq is "too many," Khamenei's media office reported.
Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid in Tehran on Saturday, the office said.
"The US is not anyone's friend. They are not even loyal to their European friends," Khamenei added.
Khamenei's comments were echoed by Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, who told his Iraqi counterpart that the presence of Americans in Iraq is disturbing the security of the region.
Rashid, in Tehran for a one-day visit, appeared at a joint press conference with Raisi, where the Iranian president spoke about understanding security issues between the two countries.
He said the security of Iraq and its borders is very important for Iran.
Iranian authorities' comments come after the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin's visit to Baghdad last month, in which Austin said US troops were ready to remain in Iraq.