Special to WorldTribune.com

BAGHDAD — Iran has become the first country to supply weapons to the Kurdish Regional Government.

Officials said Iran marked the first country that provided arms and military equipment to KRG. They said the supply marked a turning point in long tense relations between Kurdistan and Teheran.

At the same time, the United States has sought to form a military coalition to stop ISIL in Iraq. At least seven countries — Albania, Britain, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Italy and France — have pledged to supply arms and ammunition to KRG.

“Operations have already begun and will accelerate in the coming days with more nations also expected to contribute,” U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said. “This multinational effort, which is being coordinated with the government of Iraq in Baghdad, will greatly assist Kurdish forces in repelling the brutal terrorist threat they face from ISIL.”

“The Islamic republic of Iran was the first state to help us,” KRG President Massoud Barzani said. “And it provided us with weapons and equipment.”

At a news conference in the Kurdish capital of Irbil on Aug. 26, Barzani did not specify the weapons and equipment supplied by Teheran. Barzani held the news conference with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Zarif, who confirmed the military supply to KRG.

“The Iraqi people require assistance, including defense assistance, but not soldiers,” Zarif said. “We do not have any soldiers in Iraq We don’t intend to send soldiers to Iraq.”

Earlier, Kurdish sources said Iran sent thousands of combat troops to Iraq. They said the Iranian Army also deployed an armored division in Kurdistan to stop the advance of Islamic State of Iraq and Levant. An Iranian Air Force pilot was said to have been killed in one battle.

  Iran — not the West — is first to supply weapons to Iraqi Kurds in war against ISIL, KRG, Massoud Barzani, Mohammed Zarif