Iran, Iraq sign ‘accord’ to boost military cooperation

DUBAI, July 23, (Agencies): Iran and Iraq signed an agreement on Sunday to step up military cooperation and the fight against “terrorism and extremism”, Iranian media reported, an accord which is likely to raise concerns in Washington.

Iranian Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan and his Iraqi counterpart Erfan al-Hiyali signed a memorandum of understanding which also covered border security, logistics and training, the official news agency IRNA reported.

“Extending cooperation and exchanging experiences in fighting terrorism and extremism, border security, and educational, logistical, technical and military support are among the provisions of this memorandum,” IRNA reported after the signing of the accord in Tehran.

Iran-Iraq ties have improved since Iran’s long-time enemy Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003 and an Iraqi government led by Shi’ite Muslims came to power. Iran is mostly a Shi’ite nation.

US President Donald Trump has voiced concern over what he sees as growing Iranian influence in conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, where it is aligned with Shi’ite fighters.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have heightened since the election of Trump, who has often accused Tehran of backing militant groups and destabilising the region.

Earlier this month, Trump said that new threats were emerging from “rogue regimes like North Korea, Iran and Syria and the governments that finance and support them”.

The US military has accused Iran of stoking violence in Iraq by funding, training and equipping militias. Iran denies this, blaming the presence of US troops for the violence.

In a memorandum of understanding signed by Hayali and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Dehghan, the neighbours agreed on a “wide range of military and defence cooperation” including the “fight against terrorism and extremism,” state news agency IRNA reported.

Hayali, who was leading a military delegation, also met separately with parliament speaker Ali Larijani and Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Larijani and Shamkhani emphasised the importance of “unity”.

“Iran supports the unity of all groups and ethnicities in Iraq,” the state broadcaster’s website quoted

Larijani as telling Hayali.

Larijani also underlined the importance of preserving Iraqi unity “because if it wasn’t for the emergence of political differences, the (Islamic State group) would not have been able to penetrate there”.

The Iraqi minister acknowledged Iran’s help in the fight against IS and also stressed the importance of unity.

Iraq’s Kurdistan region has announced it will hold an independence referendum in September.

“We will not let any political side disintegrate Iraq,” Hayali said.

In his talks with Hayali, Shamkhani warned that “secessionist approaches can become a platform ... to prepare the ground for insecurity and instability”.

Tehran has been a key supporter of Baghdad in its fight against IS and has provided Iraq with financial and military help.

Iran has its own Kurdish population along its borders with Iraq and Turkey, and does not want to see Iraq’s Kurdish region become an independent state.