Special to WorldTribune.com

Iraq’s military said on Sept. 27 that it will coordinate with Russia, Iran and Syria on “security and intelligence” details in the ongoing battle against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL).

Iraq will “help and cooperate in collecting information about the terrorist Daesh (ISIL) group,” according to a statement from the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.

Related: Memo to the West: Moscow’s increasing role in Syria and against the jihadist threat since 2012 Sept. 25, 2015

The United States continues to insist that it is not coordinating in any way with Iran in U.S.-led coalition air strikes against ISIL. A Pentagon spokesman said the decision to coordinate with Russia, Iran and Syria is Iraq’s call to make.

“As a sovereign nation, Iraq has relations with many nations and the agreements the Iraqis take that work to our common objective are up to them,” U.S. Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. Steve Warren told CBS News.

“We recognize that Iraq has an interest in sharing information on ISIL with other governments in the region who are also fighting ISIL. We do not support the presence of Syrian government officials who are part of a regime that has brutalized its own citizens.”

ISIL jihadists maintain control over nearly a third of Iraq and Syria. Iran has been assisting Iraq in fighting ISIL and has in the past sent military commanders to help lead Iraqi Shiite militiamen.

Russia, meanwhile, continues to increase its military presence in Syria with reports of troops on the ground and Russian warplanes striking ISIL targets in Aleppo on Sept. 24.

The situation in Syria is expected to be discussed when U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 28 in New York.

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