No change in Iran policy in helping Iraq fight ISIL: Afkham

The Islamic Republic of Iran says its policy of offering military consultation to neighboring Iraq to help it fight ISIL Takfiri terrorists remains unchanged.

“I stress that there has been no change in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s policies with respect to fighting Takfiri groups, helping the Iraqi government and providing consultations [to Baghdad] in the fight against terrorist and Takfiri groups,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said in her weekly press conference on Wednesday.

Afkham’s remarks came in reaction to a recent claim by a Pentagon official that Iran has conducted air strikes against ISIL in eastern Iraq in recent days.

“Reports about Iran’s cooperation with military groups of other countries in combating ISIL are not accurate and not right,” she added.
The ISIL terrorists control large parts of Syria’s east and north. The ISIL also sent its Takfiri militants into Iraq in June, seizing large swathes of land straddling the border between Syria and Iraq.

The extremist group has threatened all communities, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians during its advances in the violence-torn Arab state.

Iran has said, on numerous occasions, that it does not engage in military acts in Iraq, but only provides advice to the Baghdad government in the fight against militants.