Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said on Sunday the U.S. uses the issue of terrorism as a pretext to grip control over the Middle East region, the semi- official ISNA news agency reported.

"The U.S. follows a cunning approach regarding terrorism and it uses the issue of terrorism as an excuse to grip control over the region," Larijani said at a parliament meeting.

He said that Iraqi and Afghani people are paying for the "dirty ambitions" of the United States in the region, according to the report.

Iranian officials have reiterated that the presence of the foreign forces, especially the U.S. troops, in the region is the source of insecurity and instability of Middle East.