Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham expressed suspicion about the international anti-IS (Islamic State) coalition.
There are fundamental questions in the seriousness of the coalition to fight terrorism honestly, Afkham said, Iran's ISNA news agency reported Sept. 11.
"Some countries that join the coalition are supporters of the terrorists in Iraq and Syria," the official said.
"If the countries are really concerned about the spreading of the terrorism, they should end double approaches on the issue and prove their honesty for inclusive fight against terrorism and extremism," Afkham stressed.
The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is on a Middle East tour, seeking regional countries support for the anti-IS coalition.
In a press conference in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Kerry said, "the coalition..., I assure you, will continue to grow and deepen in the days ahead, including at the UN General Assembly in New York later this month."
Kerry said around 40 other countries along with the U.S. are already contributing military, humanitarian and other assistance to aid the international campaign against the Islamic State.
He maintained that the strategy the U.S. President Barack Obama will lay out for the region is broad-based and comprehensive, not just limited to air bombardment or direct military assistance.