Political | 04:11 – 22/05/2019
BAGHDAD (
Reuters) – US charge d’affaires Joe Hood said on Wednesday he was unaware of Iraqi mediation to bring the country closer to Iran, while the number of US troops in Iraq has not increased.
“We do not know of the existence of Iraqi mediation between his country and Iran,” he said in an interview with a number of media outlets including Mawazin News. “He welcomes the opportunity to consult with the Iraqi government.
“It is possible to communicate with Iran directly and the embassy’s objective is to sustain the stability of Iraq to be strong and stable and protect it from any tension in the region,” he said.
On the news of an increase in the number of US troops in Iraq, the charge d’affaires said: “There is no increase in our forces during the current time.”