Tehran, Baghdad Ink MoU on Defense Cooperation

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan and his visiting Iraqi counterpart Khalid al-Obeidi concluded their second round of talks in Iran’s capital, Tehran, by inking a MoU.

The agreement was aimed at expanding cooperation between the two sides on the establishment of a national army in Iraq to help the Arab country maintain its territorial integrity and security.

The two sides also decided to continue their consultations on finding mechanisms for ensuring security in the region.

Earlier on Monday, Dehqan had voiced his country’s preparedness to help neighboring Iraq increase its military power, and referred to Iran’s support for Iraqi army as part of the Tehran’s defense and security strategies in the region.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group has made swift advances in much of northern and western Iraq over the summer, after capturing large swaths of northern Syria.

However, a combination of concentrated attacks by the Iraqi military and the popular 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.

They have been committing heinous crimes in the areas they have taken, including the mass execution of civilians as well as Iraqi army troops and officers.

Amid tensions in Iraq, Iran is known as the first country to help the Arab country and has always voiced support for Iraq’s solidarity and prosperity.