Iran said even one American soldier in Iraq is "too many."

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei told Iraqi president Latif Rashid that the presence of US troops on Iraq's territory is a root cause of regional instability. Rashid and his delegation arrived in Tehran on Saturday at the invitation of Khamenei for talks intended to boost ties between the two neighboring states. Issues such as sharing water resources, trade, and methods of combating climate change were expected to be tabled. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have increased in recent years, with particular emphasis on Iran's nuclear program. In 2015, the US joined other world leaders in signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was intended to limit Iran's nuclear capability in return for the lifting of sanctions.

In 2018, then-President Donald Trump's administration withdrew from the agreement and reintroduced sanctions on Tehran. Joe Biden has signaled that he would be keen to re-enter talks with Iran, but no such plan has yet been proposed.