The US government has made claims that Iran has taken advantage of the political instability in Iraq to secretly move short-range ballistic missiles in a bid to assert itself in the Middle East.
The Iranian buildup in Iraq comes in the wake of the US strengthening its military presence in the Middle East in a bid to fend off potential threats to Ameican interests in the restive region.
About 14,000 more troops were deployed to the region by the Trump administration to serve in navy ships and missile defence systems.
Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of the US Central Command in the Middle East, said that the US was expecting the Iranians to act irresponsibly in response to the tightening of economic sanctions.
"I would expect that if we look at the past three or four months, it's possible they will do something that is irresponsible. It's possible that they'll lash out at their neighbours," General Kenneth McKenzie is quoted by CNN.
The intelligence of Iran stockpiling ballistic missiles in Iraq is bound to send US military officials back to the drawing board since there is a concern that the missiles could be moved to a region where they could be fired at US troops in the region.
US officials say that the missiles pose a threat to security in the Middle East and to American allies.