TEHRAN -- The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Monday highlighted the destructive role played by the United States in the region, saying the Americans bring about insecurity wherever they set foot.
In a meeting with Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet Muhammad Saeed al-Abbasi here, Major General Hussein Salami said unlike Iran, which wants a strong Iraq, the Americans and the Zionists want to dominate the region and create insecurity inside Iran and Iraq.
“Wherever the Americans are, there is insecurity,” he said. “It is the oppressed people who are paying the heavy price of the Americans’ profiteering. Iran’s rationale for the expulsion of the Americans from the region is based on this.”
Salami said the Muslim Ummah, especially the Iranian nation, views as unacceptable the thirst of trans-regional powers for control over Iraq’s security order and their conspiracies to disintegrate the Arab country.
The IRGC chief commander hailed Iraq’s opposition to normalization with the Tel Aviv regime.
“Despite a decrease in the Americans’ regional presence, we are witnessing the painful phenomenon of the normalization of relations between some Arab Muslim countries and the Zionists. Of course, Iraq has an admirable position in this regard,” he said.
Last May, Iraqi lawmakers passed a law criminalizing normalization of ties, including business contacts, with the occupying regime of Israel. The legislation says that violation of the law is punishable by the death penalty or life imprisonment.
Gen. Salami said Iran attaches importance to boosting Tehran-Baghdad cooperation, especially in defense, military and security fields, as well as preserving Iraq’s unity and integrity.
The IRGC, he said, stands ready to play an effective role in training the Iraqi armed forces in addition to advisory assistance and the exchange of experience in the counter-terrorism battle.
Abbasi, for his part, appreciated the support of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the Iranian nation for the fight against Daesh in Iraq.
The Iraqi defense minister also underlined the need for enhanced cooperation with Iran to consolidate border security.
On Sunday, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Muhammad Baqeri said Iran and Iraq are boosting security cooperation to ensure regional security and counter “common threats.”
Speaking at a meeting with the Iraqi defense minister, General Baqeri said the two countries are engaged in joint activities to fight terrorism.
“The situation in the region requires that Iran and Iraq work together to ensure security because the two countries are facing common threats,” he said.