Iran warns Iraq of presence of US-backed anti-Iran armed groups on shared borders

The Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi and his accompanying delegation on Wednesday.

Larijani said in the meeting that some anti-revolutionary groups use Iraqi soil to conduct operations in Iran, while over the past years the Americans and some countries in the region have helped and equipped them.

He said that the Americans have created bases for the anti-Iran armed groups on the Iraqi soil near border with Iran, adding that although those groups have been operating in Iranian territories they were encountered by the Iranian armed forces.

The Iranian parliament speaker warned the Iraqi side about the American seditionist attempts and the presence of the armed groups that could damage the Iraq’s prestige.

Elsewhere, he hailed the stance of Iraqi government against the US anti-Iran sanctions, stressing that despite the US attempts to undermine Iran-Iraq bilateral relations, trade ties are continuing and Iran is still exporting electricity to Iraq.

The Basra-Khorramshahr railway project would play an important role in Iraqi’s reconstruction, the top Iranian legislator said, adding there are lots of Iranian companies to help the reconstruction process in Iraq.

Larijani further emphasized the interest of the Iranian and Iraqi parliaments in continuing the existing cooperation between the two countries, saying that there would be two separate meetings of parliament speakers in Morocco and Qatar to which the Iranian parliamentary delegation would convey the positive stance of the Iraqi Parliament.

He further described as ‘disgraceful’ the attempt of some Arab countries to normalize relations with Israel, stressing that those states should be punished for their wrong approach.

The top Iranian legislator went on to urge Arab states to follow in Kuwait’s footsteps on the issue of normalization of ties with Israeli regime and adopt a proper approach in that regard.

Mohammed al-Halbusi, for his part, expressed his gratitude for the hospitality of his Iranian counterpart, saying that all Iraqi political groups are interested in relations with Iran.

Al-Halbusi further referred to Larijani’s criticism of presence of some anti-Iran armed groups on Iraqi soil, saying that the Iraqi government’s decision is to not allow anyone to use Iraqi soil against any neighboring country, especially Iran.

The Iraqi parliament speaker added that all Iraqi ethnic and religious groups agree that ISIL terrorism has nothing to do with Islam and any other Islamic faiths.

He went on to stress that “as Iran had a positive stance in the fight against terrorism, we too support it against the sanctions.”

Al-Halbusi also said “it is time [for both Iraq and Iran] to pursue the interests of our nations and therefore, we need to cooperate in the economic field and other areas.”

He also called for security and stability in the region and unity among the Islamic nations to thwart the plots designed by others from beyond the region.