Iranian Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf said the United States’ main objective in the Middle East is to exploit the region’s resources. Speaking on Wednesday in a meeting with Iraqi President Nizar al-Amidi, he said Washington’s presence in the Persian Gulf is driven solely by a desire to plunder regional wealth.

Ghalibaf said Iran’s recent 40-day war demonstrated that foreign military deployments do not provide security and instead increase instability. He argued that the United States is not only unable to guarantee the security of Persian Gulf countries but is also actively responsible for undermining peace in the region.

Highlighting Iran and Iraq’s long-standing friendship and cooperation, Ghalibaf called for progress on the Shalamcheh-Basra railway, dredging of the Arvand Rud waterway, and expansion of border markets. He also called for an end to the current “neither war nor peace” situation between Iran and the United States, saying lasting security can be ensured through collective action by regional countries.