The United States will remain in Iraq even after the handover of sovereignty to the country on June 30, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said at a news briefing on Thursday.  

"We fully expect that we will continue to be in Iraq after the transfer of sovereignty because there are ongoing security threats. We are working to eliminate those security threats, and we fully expect that the Iraqis will want us to continue working side by side and as partner with Iraqi security forces to help provide for their security going forward," McClellan said.

McClellan vowed the United States would not let the "terrorists and thugs" prevail in Iraq.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on May 14 that he had no doubt that the interim Iraqi government will welcome the continued presence and operation of coalition military forces even after the handover of power in Iraq.

Polls have found that a majority of Iraqis want the US-led occupation forces to leave their country.

(Xinhua News Agency May 21, 2004)