Iraq Can Overcome Current Crisis Only through National Unity: Iranian Diplomat
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for African and Middle Eastern Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian underlined that the current crisis in Iraq can be settled only through unity among all Iraqis.
Speaking in a meeting with UN Special Representative for Iraq Jan Kubis in Tehran on Saturday evening, Amir Abdollahian touched upon the latest developments in the Middle East region, Iraq in particular, and exchanged views about the joint cooperation in fighting against terrorist groups like the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
He stressed the necessity for all Iraqi groups and religious sects, including Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds, to adhere to the country's constitution and defend its territorial integrity and said the groups should help the government fight against terrorism and create stability and security in the Arab country.
The Iranian diplomat further pointed to the fall of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, despite the presence of US-led coalition forces in the province, and said, "The incident signifies that Iraq can put the current crisis behind it only through national unity and staying away from sectarian conflicts…"
Ramadi fell to the ISIL militants on May 17 in a serious setback for Iraqi forces, which has cast doubt on the effectiveness of the US strategy of air strikes to help Baghdad roll back the insurgents.
Iraq has been facing the growing threat of terrorism, mainly posed by the ISIL terrorist group.
The ISIL militants made swift advances in much of northern and western Iraq over the last summer, after capturing large swaths of northern Syria.
However, a combination of concentrated attacks by the Iraqi military and the volunteer forces, who rushed to take arms after top Iraqi cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani issued a fatwa calling for fight against the militants, have blunted the edge of the ISIL offensive.
