Iran Concerned about Re-Emergence of Daesh in Iraq: Spokesman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson expressed concern about re-emergence of the Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terrorist group in Iraq.
“We are worried about a revival of Takfiri terrorists, particularly Daesh, in Iraq,” Seyed Abbas Mousavi said at a press conference on Monday.
On a recent rise in the terrorist attacks in Iraq, the spokesman said, “We presume that this issue is connected with the Iraqi Parliament’s legitimate request for the withdrawal of the US from that country.”
The US is now under the pressure of the Iraqi nation to leave the Arab country, so Washington may be seeking to replenish and strengthen the terrorist groups, like Daesh, in order to remain in Iraq or postpone its withdrawal, Mousavi added.
“We will provide Iraq with whatever assistance it requests from Iran,” he further underlined.
At least 10 members of the Hashd al-Shaabi forces (PMU) were killed in a coordinated attack carried out by Daesh in Iraq's Salahuddin province on Saturday.
Daesh has intensified its attacks in Iraq amid Baghdad’s call on the US to pull out its forces from the Arab country.
In a vote on January 5, the Iraqi parliament called for an end to the presence of all foreign troops, including Americans.
The vote came two days after the US military - acting on US President Donald Trump’s order - launched a fatal drone strike on senior Iranian anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani upon his arrival in the Iraqi capital at the invitation of the Baghdad government.
The attack also claimed the lives of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of the PMU, and eight other Iranian and Iraqi people.
Washington has threatened sanctions should US troops be expelled instead of heeding the Iraqi parliament’s call to end the occupation of the country.