Top Lawmaker: Iran Standing beside Iraq, Syria in Fighting Terrorism

Iranian top legislator Ali Larijani assured the Iraqi and Syrian nations that Tehran is standing beside them in their campaign on terrorism.
Larijani made the remarks in a meeting with Grand Ayatollah Seyed Mohammad Hakim in the holy city of Najaf, Southern Iraq, on Tuesday.

“Our major concerns today include the regional crises, specially the issue of the terrorists’ activities in Iraq and in Syria,” he said.

Larijani underscored that Iran’s efforts have been aimed at staying by the side of the Iraqi and the Syrian nations and governments in their campaign against terrorism.

During the meeting, the two sides also discussed ways for uprooting terrorism in the region were discussed.

Ayatollah Hakim, for his part, said that “the terrorists’ plot included destroying the political and security apparatus of Iraq and to sow the seeds of discord among the Iraqi nation, but they fortunately were not successful in achieving their goals”.

Earlier today, Larijani in a meeting with Iraq-based Muslim religious leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in the holy city of Najaf discussed the latest developments in the crisis-hit country and the region.

Larijani arrived in holy Najaf early Tuesday in continuation of his regional tour of Lebanon, Syria and Iraq.

On Tuesday afternoon Larijani will head for Karbala to pay homage to the holy shrines of Imam Hussein (AS) and his faithful brother Abolfazl al-Abbas (AS).

He will begin his meetings and consultations in Baghdad on Wednesday, which include meeting the Iraqi president, prime minister, parliament speaker and a group of other Iraqi figures and political leaders.

Larijani started his tri-nation tour of Syria, Lebanon and Iraq on Sunday.

Iran and Iraq have enjoyed growing ties ever since the overthrow of the former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, during the 2003 US invasion of the Muslim country.