"Iran has another policy as well: to work with militias, provide training and provide weapons to extremist groups, direct and indirectly," Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters after a news conference.
In unusually blunt comments, Khalilzad said Tehran was playing a "negative role" in Iraq and said a recent call by Iran’s foreign minister for Britain to pull its troops out of the southern Iraqi city of Basra was "uncalled-for interference."
"Basra is Iraqi territory the last time I checked the map. I think that was uncalled-for interference by Iran."