Top Iranian Official Stresses Expulsion of ISIL from All Parts of Iraq

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) strongly condemned the crimes committed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Iraq, and stressed that the war on ISIL should continue until all the Takfiri terrorists are driven out of entire Iraq.
“Even an inch of Iraq’s soil should not be under the occupation of the Takfiri terrorists who have no objective other than (promoting) Islamophobia and destruction of Iraq’s human and financial resources,” Shamkhani said in a meeting with visiting Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi in Tehran on Tuesday.

He underlined that the ISIL is in a weak position now, and said, “If some trans-regional countries’ arms and financial aids to ISIL are cut, we will soon witness the liberation of all regions which are currently under the control of the terrorists.”

Shamkhani reiterated that Iran has and will always support the restoration of security and tranquility in the regional countries, including Iraq.

He pointed to the status quo of Iran-Iraq defense relations, and said, “The expansion of strategic ties between the two countries is not restricted to the defense fields and we will witness broadening of economic cooperation between Iran and Iraq soon.”

The Iraqi defense minister, for his part, voiced pleasure in his ongoing visit to Iran, and said, “Iran’s all-out support for the Iraqi armed forces has played a determining role in the recent victories of the Iraqi army (against ISIL).”

Obeidi noted that the recent Iraqi elections have played a valuable role in strengthening the Arab country’s armed forces and boosting the morale of Iraqi troops.

The Iraqi defense minister arrived in Tehran on Monday to confer on the expansion of Tehran-Baghdad security cooperation and coordination.

Al-Obeidi’s visit to Tehran takes place at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan.

Iran and Iraq have a 1,400-km shared border.

In October, in a meeting between Shamkhani and Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, the Iranian official said that the restless campaign against Takfiri terrorists and their supporters stands atop Iran-Iraq cooperation agenda.