TEHRAN, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi said all Iranian military advisers have left Iraq after the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) militants, Tehran Times daily reported Saturday.
"Unlike Iran, the U.S. forces have remained in Iraq despite the end of IS" and are "building new military headquarters" there, Masjedi was quoted as saying on Friday.
The Iranian ambassador called the U.S. military presence in the region " not justified," saying the regional countries have enough local forces to protect themselves.
"The U.S. strategic policy in the region is to create instability and crisis. So it impedes any effort that results in peace," he noted.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Iraq, which was his first trip to U.S. troops deployed in a combat zone since he assumed the presidency in 2017.
