During the Friday meeting in the Iraqi capital, Maliki hailed recent victories of the Iraqi armed forces against Takfiri terrorists and extended his gratitude to Iran over its support for the Iraqi nation and government.

The Iraqi premier also described the election of Salim al-Jabouri, Iraq’s new parliament speaker, as a major step toward political progress and unity in Iraq and resolution of the current crisis in the country.

Before heading to Baghdad, Shamkhani visited the Iraqi city of Najaf to meet with a number of religious figures, including Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani.

Following the Najaf meetings, Shamkhani underlined the need for an all-out campaign against terrorism and noted that if the Iraqi government requested, the Islamic Republic of Iran would be prepared to cooperate with the Baghdad government in countering the threat of terrorism within the framework of the international law and bilateral agreements.

Baghdad has been on edge since the ISIL terrorists took control of the northern city of Mosul, pledging to move toward the capital.

On July 16, representatives from the ISIL terrorists and Iraq’s former Ba’ath party as well as tribal figures attended a meeting in the Jordanian capital, Amman, pledging to keep fighting until they seize Baghdad and overthrow the government.

Takfiris seized the city of Mosul on June 10. The takeover was followed by the fall of Tikrit, located 140 kilometers (87 miles) northwest of the capital. Tikrit later came under control of the Iraqi army again.

NJF/NJF