Iran’s Rafsanjani: U.S. must leave Iraq after elections

Iran Focus: a pro-MEK website

Iran’s former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Friday demanded a pullout of United States-led troops in Iraq after the country’s upcoming elections in December.

Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani told a prayers congregation in Tehran that U.S.-led “occupation” had lasted too long.

Rafsanjani, who chairs the State Expediency Council, said the U.S. “crimes in Iraq could not be tolerated”.

“The occupation of Iraq has lasted far too long and the existence of such a large number of foreign soldiers in Iraq is concerning. The occupation must end after the elections”, Rafsanjani said.

The 71-year-old cleric also blasted increased U.S. pressure against Tehran’s regional ally Syria. “The humiliation of Muslim nations is unbearable and is rooted in the imperialist aggression of America”, Rafsanjani said, warning the U.S. that it would eventually suffer at the hands of its own policies in the Middle East, which he described as a “powder keg” which could explode “with a single match”.

Highlighting the recent riots by mostly-Muslim youths in France, Rafsanjani also warned European nations not to create a crisis for other countries or else they would face the crisis at home.

“These events [in France] brought [the Europeans] to their senses and made it clear to them that when they create crises in other countries, the crises will come home to themselves”, Rafsanjani said. READ MORE