Baghdad: Trump did not ask to

Donald Trump has not asked Baghdad to allow US forces to "monitor Iran," Iraqi President Barham Salih said on Monday.

The US president said the day before, in an interview with CBS, that he wanted to keep a US base in Iraq to "watch Iran a bit, because Iran is a real problem."

"I want to be able to monitor Iran," he insisted.

US troops, Barham Salih said Monday, are present in Iraq as part of a bilateral agreement and their mission is specifically to fight against terrorism.

"Do not overload Iraq with your own problems (...) (...) Do not focus on your own political priorities, we are the ones living here."

"It is fundamental for Iraq to have good relations with Iran," he added, questioned at a conference in Baghdad.

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