IranIraq

Iran rushed to Iraq help against ISIL before US: Ja’afari

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Iraqi Foreign Minister Ebrahim al-Ja’afari says Iran rushed to Iraq’s help against the ISIL militants well before the US-led coalition began targeting the militants.

Ja’afari made the remark at a Tuesday meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of the international conference on the World Against Extremism and Violence (WAVE) in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

Rouhani, for his part, expressed satisfaction over Iraq’s success to overcome its recent crises and re-establish all of its institutions under the law and noted, “Today, Iraq has left behind the critical and concerning security conditions.”

He underlined Iran’s all-out support for Iraq, saying, “Iran considers the stability and security of Iraq as its own security and the issue has been proven in practice.”

Rouhani also called for the promotion of relations between Iran and Iraq in all arenas.

The ISIL launched an offensive in Iraq in June and took control of the country’s second largest city, Mosul, before sweeping through parts of the country’s Sunni Arab heartland.

The Takfiri militants have been carrying out horrific acts of violence, including public decapitations and crucifixions, against all Syrian and Iraqi communities such as Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians.

Iran has repeatedly stressed that it will not interfere militarily in Iraq and Syria, but the Islamic Republic continues to provide support to both countries against the ISIL in the form of defense consultancy and humanitarian aid.

At the onset of the ISIL advances in Iraq, the Islamic Republic took rapid steps to mobilize popular forces in the country.

Tehran has also refused to join the so-called US coalition against ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

The US-led coalition began targeting positions held by the Takfiri ISIL terrorists in Iraq in August. The coalition has been also conducting airstrikes against ISIL positions inside Syria, without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate.

Analysts believe that the US-led airstrikes have failed to play an effective role in the fight against ISIL and in some cases helped maintain the influence of the militant group.

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