Russia doubts a U.S. report alleging that Iran was behind the deaths of 608 U.S. troops in Iraq and pointed to the hundreds of thousands of civilians killed since the 2003 invasion.
Moscow expressed skepticism toward Washington's recent allegations that Iran was behind the deaths over 600 U.S. troops in Iraq and warned against launching any new wars in the Middle East.
While Iran has yet to respond to the remarks, its partner in neighboring Syria has deemed the claim suspicious amid President Donald Trump's campaign to discredit the revolutionary Shiite Muslim power.
The U.S. invaded Iraq in March 2003, seeking to overthrow then-President Saddam Hussein, based on accusations that he possessed chemical weapons and harbored ties with Al-Qaeda. Though the goal of removing Hussein from power succeeded, the allegations he had weapons of mass destruction was later proven false.
At this point, the U.S. and Iran found themselves on the same side battling ISIS in Iraq, where they both supported the Shiite Muslim-dominated leadership in Baghdad, but waging opposing campaigns against the jihadis in Syria, where Tehran backed the same government that Washington had attempted to depose.
Russia has been careful not to characterize its relationship with Iran as a formal alliance, but rather as a"strategic partnership" with the common interest of supporting Assad. Both countries had mutual grievances with the U.S. due to long-running rivalries and more recent economic restrictions, but their visions for the region as a whole diverged at times.
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