Addressing a large congregation of people here in Tehran, Ayatollah Emami Kashani said the Iraqi nation has no choice but to unite against the “evil” Takfiri (extremist) groups.
Ayatollah Emami Kashani noted that these terrorist groups have entered Iraq after being crippled in Syria.
“(They) are sometimes known as the Taliban and al-Qaeda and at other times as and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). They go here and there (to carry out terrorist activities) and today have entered Iraq and perpetrated crimes there.”
The cleric’s comments come as Iraqi armed forces are engaged in heavy clashes with ISIL that has launched a military campaign in Iraq along with its associated groups.
So far, hundreds of Iraqi volunteers have rushed to army recruitment centers to join the fight against the terrorist group.
Meantime, Iran has reiterated its support for Iraq, with President Hassan Rouhani saying on Thursday that Iran will not allow terrorists to undermine security in Iraq.
“The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran will not allow those backing terrorists to disrupt security and stability in Iraq by exporting terrorism to the country,” Rouhani said on Thursday in a telephone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.