Zarif: Iraqis must unite to combat extremism

According to Press TV, in a meeting with Chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI) Ammar Hakim in Tehran on Monday, Zarif stressed the importance of reinforcing unity among Iraqis with regard to recent victories achieved by the army and popular forces in operations against the Takfiri ISIL terrorists.

He urged Iranian and Iraqi officials to hold regular consultation on all regional and international developments in a bid to help restore peace and stability to the region.

Hakim, for his part, said thousands of Sunni fighters are participating in the liberation of Iraqi cities from ISIL, which will help maintain unity and integrity in the country.

In a televised statement on Monday, Iraqi Army’s Spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool declared that the city of Ramadi, the capital of the Western Province of Anbar, has been “fully liberated” from ISIL.

Seizing control over Ramadi would prepare the ground for the long-anticipated offensive into Mosul, the largest city that ISIL controls in the Arab country. Iraqi army on Tuesday launched an all-out campaign to cleanse Anbar of ISIL terrorists.

The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by violence ever since ISIL began an offensive through the Iraqi territory in June 2014. Army soldiers and Popular Mobilization Units are seeking to take back terrorist-held regions in joint operations.