Iraqi commander: US anti-Iran pressure sign of idiocy

An Iraqi commander says the United States’ increased pressure and threats aimed at Iran indicate Washington’s “new idiocy” and confusion.

Jassim al-Jazairi, a senior commander of Iraq’s Shia-majority military group known as Hashd al-Sha’abi, made the remarks to IRNA on Saturday.

Referring to the US’s ongoing military deployments in the Persian Gulf region, Jazairi said, “America’s new idiocy in the region shows they (the Americans) are yet to learn from past experiences and from history and think… that Iran is a quarry within reach.”

“All that’s happening,” he added, “shows the obvious chaos in American policies.”

Jazairi, who is also a member of the Political Office of Iraq’s Kata’eb Hezbollah, an anti-terror group, was referring to the US deployment of an aircraft carrier, a bomber task force, and an assault ship to the Persian Gulf under the pretext that Iran poses an increased threat to the US.

This is while Iran has said it has been exercising utmost restraint in the face of the US President Donald Trump administration’s policy of “maximum pressure” against Tehran.

PressTV-‘Iran showing utmost restraint despite US exit from JCPOA’

In a visit to Japan, Foreign Minister Zarif says Tehran is exercising “maximum restraint” despite America’s exit from the 2015 nuclear deal and re-imposition of tough sanctions against Iran.

In a travel advisory issued on Wednesday, the US State Department ordered “non-emergency US government employees” in Iraq to leave its embassy in Baghdad and its consulate in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.

Iraqi officials have reacted strongly to the provocations and advised the US against seeking further escalation.

PressTV-‘Iraq won’t stand idle if US steps up anti-Iran campaign’

An influential Iraqi leader has warned that the country will “not stand idle” in the face of US’ anti-Iran plot.

Jazairi said things would proceed in Iran’s favor because the country enjoyed not only domestic unity but also regional allegiances.

“Should anything happen in the region,” he warned, however, “we will certainly be adopting our own appropriate approach as [part of] the Islamic resistance.”