The spokesman for the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Rabiei, described the reports about the presence of Iranian forces in Iraq to suppress the protests as “toxic and fake propaganda” and said these reports “cannot separate the two nations of Iran and Iraq.”

Rabiei added: “As always, the Islamic Republic of Iran announces its readiness to stand with its Iraqi brothers and sisters and help them in any way.”

In recent days, some protesters in different cities of Iraq had reported the presence of Iranian forces suppressing the protests and shooting at the protesters. In several cities the Iraqi protesters chanted against the Islamic Republic officials.

An unnamed protester told Reuters: "There is no work, you come to protest, they fire at you. Live gunfire. They are all Iranian-speaking in Farsi. You want to speak to them, they answer in Farsi. The Iraqis would not fire at you."

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) which is an Iran-backed Shia militia group, has denied the involvement of Iranian forces in protests.

Witnesses in Baghdad have reported that the pro-Iranian group’s forces have opened fire on the protesters.

The protests in several cities of Iraq began a few days ago mainly due to high unemployment and government corruption. Dozens have been killed and hundreds injured during these protests.