Iraq Needs Iran’s Help in Fighting ISIL


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iraq’s Vice-president Usama al-Nujayfi underlined the importance of Iran’s assistance in combating the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

“We need Iran’s help in the fight against the Takfiri and terrorist group, ISIL,” al-Nujayfi said in a Wednesday meeting in Baghdad with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani.

Larijani, for his part, stressed the need for all countries to pay attention to standing up against terrorism.

He also regretted that certain countries have spread terrorism and armed terrorist groups in the region for years.

The ISIL is a terrorist group believed to be supported by the West and some regional Arab countries.

The ISIL militants, who have seized swathes of land in Iraq and neighboring Syria, have been carrying out horrific acts of violence, including public decapitations and crucifixions, against all communities such as Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians, in both Arab states.

Later on Wednesday, Iran’s parliament speaker met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to discuss Tehran-Baghdad relations as well as the latest developments in the region.

Baghdad was the final destination in Larijani’s four-day tour of regional states.

Before arriving in Iraq, the Iranian speaker paid official visits to Syria and Lebanon during which he met the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, his Syrian counterpart Mohammad Jihad al-Laham, and the Secretary General of the Lebanese Hezbollah Movement Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah and several high-ranking officials.