President Hassan Rohani has warned against giving support to the extremist group Islamic Government of Iraq and Levant, while Iran’s Supreme Leader said on Sunday that the conflict in Iraq is between those who want Iraq “to join the U.S. camp and those who want Iraq’s independence.”
Ayatollah Khamenei expressed serious opposition to any interference from the U.S. or any other country in Iraq, saying the Iraqi government, its people and its religious leadership are strong enough to end “the upheaval.”
Iranian President Hassan Rohani, speaking at a religious congress in Tehran, said Islamic countries “that use oil dollars to assist terrorist” should be warned that tomorrow it will be their turn to face such instability.
Without naming any specific countries, Rohani said: “Do not think for a moment that the terrorist savages that you have provoked against each other will not engage in bloodshed and murder in other regions?”
So far there has been no direct support of the Islamic Government of Iraq and Levant, also referred to as DAESH; however, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maleki has accused Saudi Arabia of interfering in Iraqi affairs.
In the 10 days since DAESH paramilitary forces occupied Mosul, they have continued to extend their control to other cities. They say they intend to take over Baghdad.
The Iranian president has expressed great dismay over the events and called on Sunni and Shia clergy “to initiate a transcendental movement in the world of Islam against savagery, violence and murder.”
Ayatollah Khamenei condemned the U.S. view of the developments in Iraq as a sectarian conflict.
“What is happening in Iraq is not a war between Shia and Sunni,” he said; “The chief perpetrators of this upheaval in Iraq are as much against pious Sunnis who believe in Iraq’s independence as they are against Shias.”
The growing violence exercised by DAESH forces as they expand their control has triggered international concern, and Iran has announced that it’s prepared to assist the Iraqi government.
