BAGHDAD, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has called for U.S. and Iranian forces to cease using his nation as a battlefield for their ongoing struggles.
CNN reported that as U.S. officials continue to investigate if Iran was involved in a deadly attack in the Iraqi city of Karbala, Maliki demanded that the two foreign countries take their fight outside his nation's borders.
"Iraq has nothing to do with the American-Iranian struggle, and we will not let Iran play a role against the American Army and we will not allow America to play a role against the Iranian army, and everyone should respect the sovereignty of Iraq," he said.
Maliki's comments come after five U.S. soldiers were killed in the Jan. 20 attack of a military compound in Karbala, an action that some U.S. officials have linked to Iran.
CNN said that while Maliki did not specifically say that Iran was behind the deadly attack, he did confirm that there is currently a major Iranian influence in his nation that is linked to attacks on U.S. forces.
"It exists, and I assure you it exists," the Iraqi leader said.
