US to Keep Close Eye on Iran’s Reaction to Turkish Troops in Iraq

The United States will keep a close eye on Iran’s reaction to the movements of the Turkish troops in Iraq, as Tehran may be using the possible troops withdrawal to gain influence in the region, former US Ambassador to Turkey W. Robert Pearson told Sputnik on Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – In December, Turkey deployed about 150 troops and 25 tanks to a base in the Iraqi Nineveh province, without Baghdad’s approval. Earlier on Friday, Iraqi Ambassador to the United States Lukman Faily told Sputnik that Baghdad has recently sent a new ambassador to Ankara to discuss the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Iraq.

"The US is strongly in favor of Iraq’s territorial sovereignty and integrity. The US has previously asked Turks to withdraw from Northern Iraq. President Obama told President Erdogan this directly six months ago. So I think the United States will be sympathetic to the Iraqi position," Pearson said.

"However, there is some concern that Iran may be using this tactic [US position] as the way of weakening Turkish influence in the area in its competition with Turkey over the outcome of events in Syria. That issue will be the one that the United States will pay close attention to," he added.

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

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Russia demanded that Turkey withdraw its troops from Iraq, adding that Turkish actions are completely unacceptable.