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Iran denies reports on dispatching soldiers to Iraq

Iran Materials 13 June 2014 17:59 (UTC +04:00)
Iran's deputy foreign minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has dismissed reports on dispatching forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to Iraq to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Iran denies reports on dispatching soldiers to Iraq

Baku, Azerbaijan, June 13

By Umid Niayesh - Trend:

Iran's deputy foreign minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has dismissed reports on dispatching forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to Iraq to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

"Claims on putting Iranian troops into Iraq are not correct," Amir-Abdollahian said, adding that "the Iraqi armed forces are powerfully fighting the terrorists," Iran's Fars news agency reported on June 13.

Earlier some western media outlets reported that at least three battalions from IRGC were deployed to support the fight against the ISIL.

On June 10, the ISIL militants captured the administrative center of the Mosul of the northern Iraqi Province of Ninawa, a number of small settlements, as well as part of the Salah al Din Province, including its center - the city of Tikrit.

The group also completely gained control of Samarra city, located 132 km from Baghdad on June 13.

Iraq's most senior Shia cleric, grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has issued a Fatwa (religious edict) calling his followers to fight the ISIL.

"People who are capable of carrying arms and fighting the terrorists in defense of their country ... should volunteer to join the security forces to achieve this sacred goal," said Sheikh Abdulmehdi al-Karbalai, delivering Sistani's message at the Friday prayers in the holy city of Kerbala on June 13.

On the other hand, Iranian media outlets quoted deputy intelligence minister, Hojatoleslam Khazaeli as saying 30 persons linked with the ISIL were arrested in Iran during the last month.

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