Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador to Iraq, warned about US pullout of this country and regarded it as opening a door to a major Iranian advance.

In an interview with Reuters, Ryan Crocker said: “One area of clear concern is Iran. The Iranians aren’t going anywhere. I have significant concerns that a coalition withdrawal would lead to a major Iranian advance. And we need to consider what the consequences of that would be.”

He added: “If the leadership wants to go a different way, I have an obligation to talk a little bit about what the consequences of pulling in a different direction would be….Based on what I see on the ground, I think they are seeking a state that they can, by one means or another, control, weakened to the point that Tehran can set its agenda,” he said.

Crocker added: “If we decide that we tried, we’re tired, we want to bring the troops home, then what? The movie does not stop the day that coalition forces leave Iraq. It keeps on running. We need to consider what reels two; three, four and five might look like.”

Regarding the session of 4 coalition parties of the Iraqi government, Crocker said that Maliki’s government faces serious challenges and these challenges needed to be solved with the unity of all sections of the Iraqi society.