In an interview with Al-Arabia T.V. , the Commander of the Multi National Force in Iraq General David Petraeus warned on Iranian regime’s interferences in Iraq in particular south of Iraq and said: the people of Basra do not want to be part of Iran or one of its provinces… this people are monitoring the Iranian regime’s aggressive activities to avoid its agents to have latitude in the city.

Gen. Petraeus added Basra is a complicated and sensitive place. There are elements in that city who have been trained, armed, and briefed by the Qods force of IRGC. But these militias have received considerable responses from the people of Iraq.