Iran Not to Cooperate With Fake US-Led Anti-ISIL Coalition, Says Larijani
TEHRAN – Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani described the US-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group as a “political joke”, and said Tehran will not cooperate in such a fake coalition.
“The US president has said that they along with their regional allies will uproot terrorism in the world which is a ridiculous political jokes,” Larijani said, addressing an open session of the parliament in Tehran on Wednesday.
He underscored that terrorism cannot be uprooted with airstrikes, adding that the air attacks will have two consequences; firstly, killing and displacing the people who live in the bombed regions; secondly, displaying the ineffectiveness of the US resort to power.
“These US attacks will spread terrorism, as the bombings in Afghanistan didn’t uproot terrorism and, rather, helped the terrorists’ coming in control and spread in other countries,” Larijani said.
He condemned the US and other western states’ moves in the region, and said, “We have opposed terrorism in the region since the beginning and will really fight against it but we don’t cooperate with the fake coalitions as we don’t see them legitimate.”
After the so-called US-led coalition against the ISIL declared its creation, Iran lashed out at the western states for pursuing a double-standard policy towards campaign against terrorism in various countries.
Last Monday, the Iranian Supreme Leader said the US had played no role in the ISIL’s recent defeat in Iraq, and stressed that Washington officials have repeatedly demanded Iran to join them in the fight against the ISIL, but Iran had rejected all their demands.
“During the days I was at the hospital, I had fun listening to the remarks of the US officials on fighting Daesh (ISIL),” Ayatollah Khamenei said in an interview with Iran’s state-run TV as he left the hospital after a successful prostate surgery.
Ayatollah Khamenei described the US officials’ allegations about fighting the ISIL as hollow and biased, and said the US disappointment at Iran’s partnership in its incorrect and illegal coalition was an “unrivaled honor” for Tehran.
Ayatollah Khamenei elaborated on some details of the US demands for Iran’s cooperation in forming the anti-ISIL coalition, and said, “During the hard days of Daesh’s attacks on Iraq, the US ambassador to Iraq demanded our envoy in the country (Iraq) that Iran and the US meet for negotiations and coordination on Daesh. Our ambassador reflected the issue to Iran and although some officials didn’t voice opposition, I opposed it and said we will not cooperate with the Americans in this regard since they have a corrupt intention and stained hands and how could we have cooperation with the Americans under such conditions.”
He referred to US Secretary of State John Kerry’s remarks that his country wouldn’t invite Iran to the anti-ISIL coalition, and said, “The same US secretary of state had personally demanded (Iranian Foreign Minister) Dr. (Mohammad Javad) Zarif, and called for cooperation with us on Daesh but Dr. Zarif had rejected his demand.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the US and its allies had earlier formed “a coalition of several countries against Syria, but they couldn’t do a damn thing”, and ensured that the same failure will be repeated with regard to Iraq.
FNA
R.S