Powerful Iranian general visited Iraq after attack on PM

Two Iraqi politicians say a top Iranian general visited Baghdad after the assassination attempt against Iraq’s prime minister

BAGHDAD -- A top Iranian general visited Baghdad after the assassination attempt against Iraq’s prime minister, and said Tehran and its allies had nothing to do with the drone attack that lightly injured the Iraqi leader, two Iraqi politicians said Monday.

News of the visit came as an Iraqi army general said the investigation into the drone attack against Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is ongoing but that indications point to Iran-backed factions. The general said Monday the drones used in the attack took off from areas east of the capital where Iran-backed militias have influence.

The drone attack was also similar to ones carried out in the past by Iran-backed factions in Iraq. In September, for example, explosives-laden drones targeted the Irbil international airport in the country's north, where U.S.-led coalition troops are stationed, the army general told The Associated Press. He commented on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media.

Gen. Frank McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command, told the Washington-based Arabic-language Alhurra TV that the attack against al-Kadhimi was a criminal act carried out by Iranian-backed militias. McKenzie spoke in English with Arabic voiceover.