by WorldTribune Staff, July 31, 2016
Iran was the key to stopping Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) from conquering Iraq, Baghdad’s ambassador to Teheran said.
“Hadn’t it been for the Popular Mobilization Forces, the Iraqi army and the Islamic Republic’s support, Iraq would have fallen by now.” Iraqi Ambassador to Iran Rajeh Saber Abboud al-Moussavi said in an interview with Iran’s Fars state news agency on July 30.
Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’ Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), added that Baghdad had the “domestic capacities” to defeat ISIL and the ultimate defeat of the terrorist organization would be led by regional powers, not from foreign intervention.
“While the U.S. and its certain allies were seeking to justify their presence and destabilizing acts in the region by hatching a 7-year-long plan to fight against terrorism in Iraq and Syria, the Iraqi people and security forces’ power showed that the ISIL’s full annihilation can be rapidly accessed by reliance on domestic capacities,” Shamkhani said.
“The era of colonialism has ended and countries want to take their respective state affairs into their own hands,” Al-Moussavi said.
The role of Iran’s Quds Forces leader Qassem Soleimani has been apparent in several operations against ISIL, particularly leading the Popular Mobilization Forces (Shi’ite militia) in the battle for Tikrit and parts of Diyala province.
Shamkhani said Iran “will continue its advisory role and assistance to the Iraqi and Syrian governments until the full removal of the danger of the terrorist groups in the region.”
Iraqi ambassador credits Iran for saving nation from ISIL added by World Tribune on
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