DM Pledges Iran’s Continued Support for Iraq in War on ISIL
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan in separate meetings with Iraqi ministers of interior and foreign affairs reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to keep supporting Baghdad in the fight against the ISIL terrorist group.
The Iranian defense minister travelled to Baghdad on Monday amid growing concerns over the new advances the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group has made in Iraq’s city of Ramadi.
In a meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jafari, Dehqan voiced Iran's call for stronger ties with Iraq and pledged that Tehran will continue giving its “unwavering support” for the Arab country in the battle against terrorism.
The Iraqi diplomat, for his part, expressed gratitude to Iran for its backings in the fight against a “common enemy”, noting that Iraqis are striving to maintain national unity in the face of terrorists from 62 counties.
Dehqan also had a meeting with Iraqi Interior Minister Muhammad al-Ghaban and discussed the ways to stem the ISIL militants.
The ISIL militants made advances in northern and western Iraq over the summer 2014, after capturing 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.
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.
