Iran Rejects Military Cooperation With Anti-ISIL Coalition in Iraq
TEHRAN – Iran rejected military cooperation with the so-called anti-ISIL coalition, led by the US, in Iraq, and said Tehran’s role in assisting the Iraqi government in this regard is merely consultative.
“No change has happened in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s policy of campaign against Takfiri groups, assisting the Iraqi government and presenting consultations on the fight against terrorist and Takfiri groups, and the news about Iran’s cooperation with the military groups of other countries in the war on ISIL is not true,” Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham told reporters in Tehran on Wednesday.
“We deny the news reports on military cooperation,” she reiterated.
Afkham underlined that Iran would continue its military consultations with Iraq and no change has been made in the country’s policies in this regard.
In relevant remarks on Tuesday, top military officials in Tehran strongly also rejected western media reports alleging that Iranian fighter bombers have struck ISIL positions in Iraq in coordination with the US.
Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces General Massoud Jazayeri dismissed as totally untrue the western media reports quoting US defense officials as saying that Iranian warplanes have bombed ISIL positions in Iraq in cooperation or coordination with the US-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS and IS).
“The Islamic Republic of Iran blames the United States as the root cause of unrests and problems as well as the terrorist actions of ISIL in Iraq,” Gen. Jazayeri told FNA.
The General complained that the infrastructures, cities and villages of both Iraq and Syria had been destroyed and their people had been massacred by ISIL as a direct result of the plots and supports rendered to the terrorist group by the US and a number of regional states.
Reiterating that Iran had no cooperation with any troops or coalition which is run by the US, the Number two man of the Iranian Armed Forces said, “Now the Iraqi nation along with its government, army and volunteer forces are in war with aliens and terrorists in a vast front and have achieved much success and the future of independent Iraq depends on this very cooperation and sympathy, and the United States will definitely have no room or place in the future of that country.”
His comments came after Israeli website Jerusalem Post claimed that the Iranian Air Force has bombed ISIL targets inside Iraqi territory in coordination with the US military which is leading the anti-ISIL coalition.
Iraqi troops regain control over Samarra-Fallujah Road
On the other hand, Iraqi government troops regained control over the main road which connects Samarra and al-Fallujah.
Iraqi official TV channel ‘Al-Iraqiya’ reported on Tuesday that Samarra Operations has announced the liberation of the main road between Samarra and al-Fallujah regions from the control of the ISIL terrorists.
The Iraqi forces also purged the surrounding villages of the Samarra-Fallujah road of ISIL.
Artillery attacks kill over 27 ISIL militants in Iraq’s Samarra
Meanwhile, the Iraqi Army fired artillery at targets held by the ISIL Takfiri group in Samarra city, 125 km North of Baghdad, leaving at least 27 militants dead.
The ISIL terrorists came under heavy artillery fire in Al-Howaish area, West of Samarra, and suffered heavy losses. Also, 4 vehicles belonging to the ISIL were destroyed during the attacks.
The ISIL Takfiri terrorists have threatened all communities in Syria and Iraq, as they continue their atrocities in Iraq.
Senior Iraqi officials have blamed Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and some Gulf Arab states for the growing terrorism in their country.
The ISIL has links with Saudi intelligence and is believed to be indirectly supported by the Israeli regime.
FNA
R.S