The US Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a press conference in Pentagon on Friday April 11, underlined the necessity of countering Iran’s growing intervention in Iraq.

Replying to a question about recent Basra clashes and any increase in Iranian regime’s involvement in arming and training of militias, Secretary Gates said that a kind of increase in supplying arms and training support for the militias has been discerned. Adm. Mullen said : I agree that these activities have in creased. This issue gave us a much better understanding of the extent of Iran’s meddling in many activities going on in Iraq.