Iraq’s parliament has called for the expulsion of US troops in the country in reaction to the American drone attack that killed Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian general.
Soleimani was killed in an airstrike at the Baghdad International Airport, on the orders of President Donald Trump, US president.
Amid the mounting tension between both countries, Iraq’s parliament approved a resolution asking the Iraqi government to end the agreement under which the US sent forces over four years ago to help fight against the Islamic State.
About 180 legislators present in parliament voted in favor of the resolution as the move was backed by most Shiite members, who hold a majority of seats in the parliament.
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Cancelling the US-Iraq agreement demands that Americans be given a one-year withdrawal notice. It is feared that raising the prospect of withdrawal could potentially fuel a resurgence of the Islamic State’s activities.
Speaking on the development, Lindsey Graham, US senator who doubles as a member of the senate foreign relations committee, described the parliamentary vote as “a bit concerning.”
“The Iranian government is trying to basically take over Iraq’s political system. Iran is bribing Iraqi politicians. To the Iraqi people, do not allow your politicians to turn Iraq into a proxy of Iran,” the senator said.
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The resolution comes amid the repeated threats and counter-threats between the two countries.
After Solemani’s death, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, vowed “harsh revenge” against the United States.
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