Iraq’s foreign minister visited Tehran and met with senior Iranian officials. President Rouhani told him that “supporting stability, security, independence, territorial integrity, as well as dignity and authority of Iraq, and promoting its regional and international status are of special priority”. He further objected to “any foreign interference in the internal affairs of Iraq”. According to an Iranian readout, the foreign minister asserted that “Baghdad is persistently pursuing the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iran, and this is being done through negotiations and actions that have been taken”. In a separate meeting, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, contended that “the main cause of instability and crisis in the region is the evil presence of foreign forces, especially American forces”, while emphasising “the vitality of implementing Iraq’s ratified law about ousting the U.S. troops”.