Ghasemi Calls Hook's Remarks on Rouhani's Visit to Iraq 'Interventionist'

One day after Brian Hook's statement, the spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry described the remarks of the U.S. Special Representative for Iran regarding Hassan Rouhani's visit to Iraq as 'interventionist and unprofessional.' According to the IRIB news agency, Bahram Ghasemi stated on Tuesday that the relations between Iran and Iraq are 'based on good neighborliness and strategic relations, and they certainly do not seek permission from anyone to maintain these relations.' He added, 'The anger of this American official is not surprising, as it seems that despite spending billions of dollars in the Middle East, this country has not been able to achieve a favorable position among the nations of the region.' On Monday, March 9, Brian Hook had reacted to the Iranian President's trip to Baghdad by stating that the ultimate goal of the Islamic Republic is to turn Iraq into one of its provinces. He emphasized, 'Through this, they will be able to create a military highway that the Revolutionary Guards can use to move missiles, weapons, and combat forces throughout the region.' U.S. officials have repeatedly warned about 'Iran's destructive behaviors' in the region, which have been cited as one of the reasons for the United States' withdrawal from the JCPOA. Reuters reported that Rouhani's trip to Iraq carries a message for the United States and its regional allies regarding the presence and influence of the Islamic Republic in Iraq, an arena that could be a site for increased tensions between Washington and Tehran. Meanwhile, it appears that with the return of U.S. sanctions against Iran, Iraq has become one of the key countries for financial and trade exchanges with Iran. In this context, the Iraqi official news agency reported, citing Iraj Masjedi, that Iran intends to increase the volume of bilateral trade with Iraq to $20 billion. Although the Iraqi government announced during Haider al-Abadi's premiership that it would comply with U.S. sanctions. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated on Tuesday, March 10, in a meeting with executives of major oil companies and several oil ministers that the United States remains committed to completely cutting off Iran's oil exports, remarks that could also refer to Iraq. The Iranian President is scheduled to meet today with Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the most powerful and influential Shia religious figure in Iraq. According to these reports, Hassan Rouhani will be the first Iranian president to meet with Mr. Sistani. Previously, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the former head of the Expediency Discernment Council, had met with this Shia religious authority.