The first vice president said the international community should back Iraq and Syria in their campaigns against militants of the self-declared Islamic State (IS) in view of the fact that the people of the two Arab countries are “in the front line” against the terrorist group.
Es’haq Jahangiri made the remarks in a meeting with Iraqi President Fuad Masum in Baghdad on Tuesday, IRNA reported.
He described Daesh (the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) as an “evil phenomenon” which has afflicted Islamic countries and said military action by itself is not enough to deal with the issue, adding that the group’s financial lifeline should be cut and new militants should be prevented from joining IS.
In addition, the official said Iran regards the security of Iraq as its own security, noting, “The Islamic Republic of Iran will always stand by the Iraqi government and nation during difficult and happy times.”
