Tehran, Iran, Sept. 15
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
The Leader of Iran's Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamanei said that Tehran rejected Washington's request for help in fighting the ISIL (also known as IS or ISIS) in Iraq.
"The U.S. ambassador to Iraq requested Iran's help in fighting ISIL but I disagreed because their hands are dirty," he said, Iran's ISNA News Agency reported on Sept.15.
"The U.S. foreign minister also made the same request to [Iran Foreign Minister] Mr. Zarif, but he rejected the request too," Iran's leader explained.
Iran's leader went on to note that the U.S. plan to form an international coalition for fighting the ISIL is absurd.
"The move which broke the back of the ISIL in Iraq was done by the Iraqi nation and the Americans and the ISIL also know it," Ayatollah Khamenei explained.
"The United States aims to have military presence in the Middle East through fighting ISIL militants," he said.
Iran's leader made the statement after being discharged from the hospital following
successful prostate surgery.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was released from the hospital on Sept. 15, IRNA reported, after he underwent surgery for problems with his prostate on Sept. 8.
The successful operation was carried out in one of government's hospitals in Tehran.
Shortly before leaving the hospital, Khamanei described the operation as "very routine," saying there is no reason to worry.
Edited by CN