The Iranian ambassador to Russia said that the liberation of Mosul would be a positive development if not used for geopolitical struggle.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)�� A successful campaign to�free the Iraqi city of Mosul from�Daesh militants will be a truly positive development but�it must not be used for�political purposes, the Iranian ambassador to�Russia told Sputnik on�Tuesday. "This will be a positive development only as�part of�the effort to�fight terrorism, rather than�a tool in�a geopolitical struggle or part of�a plan, for�instance in�the US election race," Ambassador Mehdi Sanaei said.

He commented on�US presidential candidate Donald Trump's claim that Iran would be the "big winner" in�Mosul. Speaking at�the last presidential debate, the Republican also suggested that the Iraqi offensive against�the Daesh stronghold was timed to�the election campaign of�his Democrat rival, Hillary Clinton, who wanted to "look tough."

On October 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of�a military operation to�recapture Mosul from�Daesh, a jihadist group outlawed in�Russia, with�the help of�airstrikes by�the US-led international coalition. Ambassador Sanaei said the Iranian government stood by�Iraq and believed a strong government in�Baghdad benefited the entire region.

By Sputnik