Decisions on Foreign Troops Presence in Iraq Up to Baghdad - US State Dept.

Allowing foreign troops’ presence in Iraq and its Kurdish region as part of anti-Daesh efforts is a decision for the government in Baghdad to make, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq Joseph Pennington told Sputnik on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — When asked if the United States would support Iranian troops or any other foreign troops in Iraqi Kurdistan or find their presence beneficial, Pennington said that "those decisions are up to the government of Iraq."

Earlier this week, Arabic news channels spread information about alleged participation of high-ranking Iranian military officers in liberation of the Iraqi city of Fallujah, controlled by the Islamic State (IS) terror group, outlawed in Russia.

Pennington also said that the United States encourages the governments of Iraq and Turkey to resolve Ankara’s cross-border military incursions.

"We [the United States] are encouraging Turkey and Iraq to discuss that issue together and arrive at a solution that works for both sides."

In December, Turkey deployed about 150 troops and 25 tanks to a base in the Iraqi Nineveh province, without Baghdad’s approval.

Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on Turkey to completely withdraw troops from Iraqi territory.

Turkey said its troops had entered Iraq to protect Turkish instructors deployed at the base earlier to train local militias, fighting against the Islamic State, a terrorist group outlawed in a number of countries worldwide, including the United States and Russia.

Everything that the US and coalition forces do in Iraq is in full coordination and completely transparent with the government, Pennington concluded.