World / Kicking US troops out of Middle East final answer to Soleimani's killing: Iran

Expelling the US military from Iraq and the surrounding region will be Iran’s ultimate goal, in retaliation against the killing of a commander Qassem Soleimani, President Hassan Rouhani has said.

Soleimani fought a heroic anti-terror campaign against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) and Al Qaeda, Rouhani tweeted on Wednesday, adding that European nations “would be in great danger now” if it wasn’t for the Iranian commanders efforts.

“Our final answer to his assassination will be to kick all US forces out of the region,” he vowed.

Iran targeted US bases in Iraq with a barrage of short-range ballistic missiles in the early hours of Wednesday. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described the missile strike as a “slap in the face” for the United Sates, but said that the attack was not “sufficient” to remove “the corrupting presence of America in the region.”

Several European nations have announced partial troop withdrawals from Iraq, citing security concerns. The Iraqi parliament passed a non-binding resolution calling for all foreign troops to leave their country, days after a US drone strike killed Soleimani in Baghdad. Washington has threatened Iraq with sanctions if it is forced to leave the country against its will.