US Playing With ISIL Pawn, Says Larijani

Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani says the United States is using the ISIL Takfiri terrorist group as a means to advance its own interests in the region, according to Press T.V.

“It seems that the US is playing with the ISIL pawn in the region,” Larijani said Monday in a meeting with visiting Serbian Foreign Minister IvicaDačić.

The top Iranian legislator said that a lack of serious efforts by the US in dealing with ISIL has enabled the terrorist group to freely operate in the region.

Larijani said such a policy has further emboldened ISIL terrorists to press ahead with their crimes, which is detrimental to peace and security in the region.

Drawing a comparison between the developments in the Balkans in the early 90s and the current situation in the Middle East, Larijani said in both cases “intervention by outside elements” hampered the restoration of tranquility.

The Serbian foreign minister, for his part, criticized the international community’s double standards vis-a-vis the war on terror, saying the policy has exacerbated violence and extremism.

Dačić slammed teh big powers for their interventionist policies in various parts of the world, saying they sow discord among ethnic and religious groups with the aim of disintegrating big countries.

He said such policies further intensify instability across the world.

Iran-Serbia business council to meet

Earlier in the day, Dačić also met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif  where the two top diplomats discussed ways of boosting bilateral relations, especially in business and economic fields.

During the meeting Zarif welcomed a proposal by Dačić for the holding of the 14th Iran-Serbia Joint Economic Committee.

Zarif welcomed the proposal, saying, “In this regard, an economic delegation from Iran’s different government and private sectors will head for Belgrade in the future.”

Referring to the countries’ long-standing and favorable relations, Zarif expressed hope for the development of bilateral cooperation in political, economic, energy, agricultural, parliamentary, cultural, scientific, and academic areas.

The Serbian minister, for his part, voiced Belgrade’s readiness to open a new chapter in the ties with the Islamic Republic in the political, economic, and parliamentary fields.

The Serbian official also felicitated Iran on the conclusion of nuclear talks between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries — the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany — in the Austrian capital Vienna last month.

Iran rules out joint work with US in ISIL fight

On the other hand, senior Iranian diplomat has ruled out any joint cooperation with the United States to fight against ISIL Takfiri terrorists.

“We have no plans for joint work with the US [in the battle] against Daesh (ISIL), but we will continue our help and consultations at the request of the Iraqi and Syrian governments,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in an interview with Iran’s Arabic-language news channel, al-Alam.

He added that Iran was among the first countries to help Iraq and Syria fight terrorism and the ISIL Takfiri groups.

The Iranian official reaffirmed that the Islamic Republic will continue its support for the regional countries endangered by terror threats in a bid to help them fight terrorism.

He said Washington has also announced plans to fight ISIL terrorists, but it is pursuing double standards.

Over the past months, both the Iraqi and Syrian armies, backed by volunteer fighters, have managed to liberate several areas in the country from ISIL Takfiri terrorist group.

Iran has repeatedly stressed that it will not interfere militarily in Iraq and Syria, but that it will continue to provide support for both countries against the ISILin the form of defense consultations and humanitarian aid.

R.S