The leader of this week’s Friday prayer in Tehran stressed Iran’s support for the territorial integrity of Iraq.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Khatami said, “Iran’s aid to Iraq is meant to help it thwart its enemies’ ploys to split the country,” Fars news agency reported.
The member of the Assembly of Experts’ presiding board also congratulated the Iraqi army and volunteer forces on their gains in the operation to retake Tikrit, the capital city of Salahuddin province, from militants of the so-called Islamic State (IS).
He said the Iranian government provided the Iraqis with various types of support, including military advice in the battle against IS, while the “arrogant powers” refused to give them the slightest help.
The cleric reiterated, “We not only recognize Iraq’s borders, but we respect all internationally recognized borders,” adding, “The only fake and occupying regime that we do not recognize is the Zionist regime of Israel.”
