Iraq is trying to assure Iran it would not be used as a staging ground for a military attack under a long-term agreement with the United States. On Sunday, visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told Iranian officials that Iraq would not become a “platform” for harming Iran and its neighbors. The agreement would cover the status of US forces in Iraq following the expiration of its UN mandate in July. The Independent of London reported last week US officials are leveraging tens of billions of dollars in seized Iraqi assets to push through its demands. The Bush administration is seeking to permanently keep more than fifty military bases in Iraq. It’s also insisting on continuing military campaigns without consultation with the Iraqi government and immunity for American soldiers and contractors.