Iraq's most senior Shiite cleric on Wednesday joined a chorus of Iraqi politicians and clerics criticizing recent statements by President Donald Trump in which he said US troops should stay in Iraq to keep an eye on neighbouring Iran.
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said Iraq aspires to have "good and balanced relations" with all of its neighbors "based on mutual interests and without intervention in internal affairs."
Both Iraq's president and prime minister have hit back at Trump's statements to US media this week stating that US troops should stay at a base in Iraq so that America can "watch Iran."
"We might as well keep it. And one of the reasons I want to keep it is because I want to be looking a little bit at Iran because Iran is a real problem."