Exclusive: US rejects role of Iran-backed groups

Shafaq News – Washington / Beirut / Baghdad

The US State Department stressed that Iran-backed armed factions have “absolutely no role” in Middle East affairs, as Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani holds talks in Beirut and Baghdad.

A State Department spokesperson told Shafaq News that such groups “pursue malign interests, cause sectarian division, and spread terrorism across the region,” describing Iran as “an unreliable partner” with a history of using the populations of other nations “as pawns in their games.”

The spokesperson emphasized that Washington’s efforts to foster stability focus on ensuring states “retain their sovereignty and can achieve security through mutual economic prosperity,” in contrast to what was described as Iran’s “approach of attacks and mayhem.”

Larijani visited Iraq earlier this week for meetings with top political leaders before traveling to Lebanon for further discussions on bilateral and regional issues.

For Shafaq News, Mustafa Hashem, Washington, DC.