IRNA � Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said late on Friday that the US killing of a top Iranian general was a miscalculation that has had the effect of bolstering support in Iraq for the removal of American troops, a longtime goal of Tehran.

The US assassinated Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani in a January 3 drone strike as the commander of Iran's Quds Force was leaving Baghdad's Airport.

Speaking to a group of reporters on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Zarif said "the US miscalculated," noting that since the incident, thousands of Iraqis have taken to the streets to protest against the presence of foreign troops in the country.

The martyr Soleimani is much more effective than General Soleimani, as it is evident in terms of demonstrations that are taking place in Iraq against the US presence, Zarif said.

The 56th Munich Security Conference attended by leaders from 35 countries will continue until Sunday.