Iraq Needs Iran’s Help to Fight Terrorists

Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri underlined that his country needs assistance of its neighboring countries, especially Iran, in the ongoing fight against the terrorist groups.

“We need the help of our neighbors, Iran in particular, in the campaign against terrorism,” Jabouri said in a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Danayeefar in the Iraqi capital on Friday.

He reiterated that Iraq, Syria, Iran and Russia are currently cooperating in the fight against the ISIL, but said his country will boost cooperation and coordination whenever it feels necessary.

In relevant remarks in November, a senior Iraqi politician revealed that his country along with Iran, Russia and Syria have set up an information exchange center which will pave the ground for the formation of a quadrilateral operations room in campaign against terrorism.

“The information center has been formed some days ago after 6 months of discussions,” Political Advisor to the Head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq Mohsen Hakim told FNA.

Elaborating on the information exchange room, he said that the officer in charge is changed every three months but the reports are provided to the Iranian, Iraqi, Russian and Syrian armies’ joint chief of staff every day to update their information.

Hakim underlined that the information center can be a preliminary step to set up a joint operations room or Centcom.

He further reminded his country’s need to logistical aid and air backup, and said Iraq at present doesn’t need ground forces to fight against the terrorist groups.

Also, Iran, Syria and Iraq have inked several defense cooperation agreements based on which Tehran gives consultations to Damascus and Baghdad in fighting against the terrorist groups.

R.S