End of IS Imminent

Iran's Army Commander Major General Ataollah Salehi predicted that the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group will be wiped out in the near future.

IS and other terrorist groups will die out in the near future, the top commander said at a farewell ceremony in Tehran on Monday held to acknowledge the services of the outgoing Commander of Army's Ground Forces Lieutenant General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, Tasnim News Agency reported.

Highlighting Iran's foresight in realizing threats, the general said the country's top military officials had anticipated four years ago that enemies had plans to pose a threat to Iran from the western borders.

Salehi pointed to the US long-lasting enmity toward Iran, saying such "a wolfish enemy" only wants to harm Iran.

In comments in August, Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the US and Israel created IS to use it as a tool to deflect the attention of Muslims from major issues such as Palestine.

Iran's western neighbor, Iraq, has been gripped by a deadly militancy since IS captured areas in north and west of the Arab country in the summer of 2014.

In recent months, the Iraqi Army and Popular Mobilization Forces have managed to retake many areas from the terrorists.