Donald Trump said he wants to keep the military base in Iraq to "observe Iran"

US President Donald Trump said it was important to maintain a military presence in Iraq so that Washington could closely observe the neighboring regime, Iran, "Because it's a real problem," according to an interview CBS which was published on Sunday.

The lamented Republican regretted the "endless war" in Syria and Afghanistan in a dialogue with journalist Margaret Brennan with the program "Face the Nation" and said that wants to reduce the costly American military presence in these countries, despite the warnings of their military advisers and intelligence chiefs against such a decision.

The United States could rely heavily on intelligence work in Afghanistan, he said. and respond to events in Syria from US bases in neighboring Iraq.

Iran's revolution guards have sent weapons and thousands of soldiers to Syria to reinforce the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a seven-year civil war.

In this regard, Trump said the United States had spent a "fortune" in Al Asad Air Base, in western Iraq., whom he visited in December, and Washington should keep it.

"One of the reasons I want to keep it is that I want to monitor Iran because Iran is a real problem" he said in the interview with CBS.

When asked if it meant that he wanted to launch an attack on Iran, Trump replied: "No, because I want to be able to observe Iran, all I want to do is be able to observe."

President defended his decision in December pull the troops out of Syria and refused to deliver a timetable for the withdrawal, who has been criticized by members of his own Republican party and has raised concerns among his allies.

Some of the soldiers leaving Syria will be sent to Iraq, where they can track any resurgence of the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS) or other militant group and "eventually, some will go home," said Trump.

He also said that US forces could be deployed again if militant groups such as al-Qaeda reappeared. "We will come back if we have to do it", he said.

With Reuters information