Iran’s Rafsanjani: U.S. presence in Iraq cause of insecurity

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Jun. 19 – Iran’s former President and current chair of the State Expediency Council (SEC), Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, said the presence of United States-led troops in Iraq was the cause of “regional insecurity”. Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Jun. 19 – Iran’s former President and current chair of the State Expediency Council (SEC), Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, said the presence of United States-led troops in Iraq was the cause of “regional insecurity”.

“The U.S. has no choice but to hand over administration [of Iraq”> to the Iraqi people”, Rafsanjani said following a meeting with Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, who heads the Iran-backed Iraqi group Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI). His remarks were reported in the government-run news agency Fars.

“The presence of clerics in Iraq’s political scene strengthens the people’s role and guarantees national unity in this country”, he said.

He described religion as the most important factor in determining the fate of the people of Iraq.

The top cleric said that the presence of foreign troops in Iraq made the country dependent and contributed to insecurity in the Middle East.