In an interview with Al-Hurra TV, Richard Perle, former US deputy Defense secretary and a member of the American Enterprise Institute, said: The Iranian regime wants to impose its hegemony over Iraq and to this end it helps the militias in Iraq in different ways.

Perle said: It is quite clear now that the IEDs used by all militias in Iraq are all entered from Iran; they are designed and made in Iran and are then distributed among these forces; moreover, the Iranian Intelligence Ministry (MIOS) is present all over Iraq, their presence in Basra is quite overt and they are making instability.

Regarding negotiations between the US and the Iranian regime, Perle added: I believe we cannot have any useful negotiations with the clerical regime in Iran; there are no free elections in Iran.