Cooperation between Iran and Russia has prevented the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, outlawed in Russia) from controlling large areas in the Middle East, from the Mediterranean Sea to the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei told Sputnik in an interview
TEHRAN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd July, 2020) Cooperation between Iran and Russia has prevented the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, outlawed in Russia) from controlling large areas in the middle East, from the Mediterranean Sea to the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei told Sputnik in an interview.
"If there was no cooperation between Iran and Russia, the IS would have controlled vast areas from the Mediterranean Sea to the region between the [Tigris and Euphrates] rivers and would have threatened most of the world's countries," Rabiei said, referring to the area that currently covers parts of Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Turkey and Iran.
Ties between Tehran and Moscow are developing rapidly in all areas of economic and strategic cooperation, Rabiei added, noting that Iran was resolved to deepen them, as these relations served not only for meeting regional interest but also contributed to peace and stability worldwide.
"This partnership is not against one certain country, but against states that choose the path of coercion and blackmail in the international arena and violate the rights of other countries," the spokesman said.
The IS has been active in the Middle East for years, mainly operating on the lands of Iraq and Syria. Both countries had taken successful steps to clear their territories of militants. However, isolated extremist cells still remain in some parts of the area.
Iran and Russia are the guarantors of a peaceful political settlement in Syria within the Astana summit framework, along with Turkey. The two states have been supporting Damascus in its fight against terrorists.
In October 2019, the United States announced that the IS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had been killed in Syria during a special operation undertaken by US troops. US President Donald Trump thanked Russia, Turkey, Syria, Iraq and the Syrian Kurds for their assistance in the offensive to eliminate the terror group leader.
