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Zakharova emphasizes word 'mistake' in US statement on withdrawal of troops from Iraq

Earlier, General Mark Millie, the head of the Chief of Staff Committee (CNA) of the US Armed Forces, told reporters that a letter about the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq had been published in error, it was a preliminary draft

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova

© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, January 7. / TASS /. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova wrote on her Facebook page on Tuesday, that it is necessary to emphasize the word "mistake" in Pentagon's explanation of the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

"I propose that we attach the word 'error' to it, otherwise tomorrow everyone will start again with the "Russian hackers" did it, or nod in the direction of Russia Today," Zakharova said.

Earlier, General Mark Millie, the head of the Chief of Staff Committee (CNA) of the US Armed Forces, told reporters that a letter about the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq had been published in error, it was a preliminary draft.

On Tuesday, a number of media sources reported on a letter sent by the Inherent Resolve military operation headquarters, which stated the US intention to withdraw its troops from Iraq. After the text of the letter was published in the media, Pentagon chief Mark Esper refuted the information contained in it, saying that the US did not make a decision to leave Iraq.

On January 3, the Pentagon confirmed that a missile strike near the Baghdad airport killed the head of the Quds Force Qasem Soleimani. The operation was carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump. According to the Pentagon, the strike was defensive, since it was aimed at protecting US troops in Iraq and other countries. Washington blamed Soleimani for allegedly approving a rally outside the US Embassy in Baghdad earlier this week.

Following the attack, the Supreme National Security Council of Iran vowed to exact "severe revenge" on those involved in Soleimani’s killing, blaming the United States for the attack. In a phone call with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blasted the attack as an act of terrorism from the side of the US. He pointed out that Tehran would take international measures to hold Washington responsible for the general’s murder.

The situation in the Middle East sharply worsened after the death of Soleimani. Tehran promised the United States a tough response and began to reduce the implementation of its obligations under the nuclear deal.

The actions of the Americans, who have been attacking Shiite groups in Iraq since December 29, have been criticized the Iraqi authorities and raised the question of the legitimacy of the coalition's actions led by Washington. On January 5, the Iraqi parliament adopted a resolution demanding the complete withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country. US President Donald Trump refused to do so, threatening Iraq with "unprecedented sanctions.".

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