TEHRAN: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has described the terrorist attacks by the members of Islamic State in Iraq and Levant as major security challenge in the region and expressed Iran’s willingness to help Baghdad ward off the militant onslaught.
In a live address on state television, Iranian President expressed public support for Baghdad. The comments on Saturday were in response to the threat of civil war in Iraq, where rebels have made surprise but rapid gains in north threatening the government in Baghdad and the Shia holy cities.
Iranian President rejected alleged reports on the deployment of Iranian troops in Iraq, but said Tehran was ready to help its Western neighbor.
“We, as the Islamic Republic, are Iraq’s friend and neighbor and have good relations with the Iraqi government and nation,” Rouhani told reporters in a press conference in Tehran.
The US Wall Street Journal in a report on Friday claimed that Tehran has sent two elite units of its Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) to Iraq to fight against the rebels.
We have no choice but countering terrorism. We have very close and cordial ties with Iraq. If the Iraqi government asks for help, we will review the (request). So far, we have not received any such appeal. But we are ready to help Iraq (to fight terrorism) in the framework of international regulations and at the official request of the Iraqi government, President Rouhani said emphasizing that Iraq is capable of resolving the problem.
President said there is no doubt that certain foreign states arm and fund terrorist groups. The Iranian president also warned that such terrorist groups will scourge their sponsors in future. He also said Tehran will give a crushing response to any terrorist groups attempting to approach Iranian borders.
Asked if Tehran would work with its old adversary the United States in tackling advances by terrorists in Iraq, he replied: “We can think about if we see America starts confronting the terrorist groups in Iraq or elsewhere.”
He said some groups’ intention for “compensating their loss and failure in the election through terrorism is not acceptable”.
Rouhani further played down the power of the ISIL terrorists, saying that the collapse of Mosul was the product of a whole set of elements and some coordination (made with a number of traitors in the city).
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