Trump: US will help if Iran 'does anything' in Iraq

Iraq's Mustafa Al Kadhimi extends his stay in US for meeting with Congress

President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, in Washington. AP Photo

US President Donald J. Trump (L) welcomes Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 20 August 2020. EPA

US President Donald J. Trump (R) waits to welcome Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi (not pictured) to the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 20 August 2020. EPA

US President Donald J. Trump (L) welcomes Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 20 August 2020. EPA

President Donald Trump meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, in Washington. Vice President Mike Pence, second from right, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, listen. AP Photo

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi as a translator listens in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 20, 2020. REUTERS

US President Donald Trump(R) meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, August 20, 2020. AFP

Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Iraq's prime minister, listens during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, not pictured, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020. The U.S. is focused on working with Iraq to ensure it has enough resources to establish security forces that can protect the Iraqi people and are under sovereign control of Iraq, a senior administration official told reporters. Bloomberg

US President Donald Trump said the US was prepared to act if Iran intervened in Iraq, despite a dwindling US troop presence in the country.

Sitting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi at the White House, Mr Trump said he expected US troops to leave "at some point" but expressed his support for Iraq against Iranian interference.

"We have very few soldiers in Iraq but we are there to help if Iran should do anything," he said.

Mr Trump said that as far as future US troop levels were concerned: "We look forward to the day when we don't have to be there."

He said the two leaders would discuss military matters and oil production in a two-hour meeting on Thursday.

A US senior official on Wednesday said no timeline for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq would be discussed in the visit but the troops' role would be.

Mr Al Kadhimi thanked his host on Twitter after the meeting, saying Iraq would "continue to work on defeating the remnants of ISIS and develop joint projects to improve our economic ties".

"We thank President Trump and our US friends in helping us free Iraq from the scourge of terrorism," he said.

Mr Al Kadhimi, who arrived in the US on Wednesday, is the most senior Iraqi visit to the White House since 2017.

He condemned Turkish intervention in the north of his nation and said he hoped the issue could be resolved.

Turkey, which has had a military presence in Iraq's autonomous region for a quarter of a century, launched a cross-border operation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in the mountainous region in mid-June.

"Turkish interference is rejected," Mr Al Kadhimi said.

"The Iraqi constitution does not allow Iraq to be a threat to any neighbouring country. We are entering dialogue with Turkey and hope for a resolution."

Mr Trump praised the Iraqi leader.

"We are working with Iraq. We developed very good relations with this gentleman," he said.

Mr Al Kadhimi's visit has been as much about business as politics

He said Iraq was open to American business and investment, and that economic relations with the US would improve the future for the Iraqi people.

He spent Wednesday meeting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US business leaders, and signed preliminary agreements worth more than $8 billion (Dh29.39bn) in several areas, mainly energy.