The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, indicated that “we have been very pleased with the formation of the government in Iraq. We don’t have Soleimani’s usual influence at play there and we see the Iraqi people really standing up and protesting against the Iranian interference”. Hook added: “we want to see an Iraq that is strong, stable and sovereign. The Iranian regime wants none of these things… we are very pleased with the early steps they [the al-Kadhimi government] have taken to stop that interference”.