Iran, Iraq pledge to up counterterrorism fight
Defense ministers of Iran and Iraq have stressed bilateral defense and security cooperation, pledging to bolster the battle against Takfiri terrorist groups.
Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan and his Iraqi counterpart Khalid al-Obeidi vowed to counter the threat of terrorists during the second round of talks between the high-ranking delegations from the two countries in Baghdad on Tuesday.
The two officials also called for immediate implementation of agreements between the two neighboring countries.
Dehqan, heading a high-ranking delegation, arrived in Iraq on Monday to hold talks with the Arab country’s officials on a range of issues, including bilateral ties.
The ISIL Takfiri terrorist group, with members from several Western countries, controls swathes of land in Iraq and Syria. Over the past months, the Iraqi army, backed by volunteer fighters, has managed to liberate several areas in the country from ISIL militants.
Iran has stressed on several occasions that it will continue to support Iraq in the fight against terrorism.
“Iran is ready to, in line with safeguarding [Iraq’s] stability, security and fight against terrorism, render whatever assistance requested to the Iraqi government,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Masum in Tehran on May 13.
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 ISIL in the form of defense consultation and humanitarian aid.
The Iranian defense minister's visit to Iraq comes as Ramadi, the Iraqi capital city of Anbar province has recently fallen to the ISIL Takfiris. The Iraqi government is preparing to retake the city.
AR/NN/HRB
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