Tasnim – Head of the Strategic Research Center of Iran’s Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati praised the Iraqi government for behaving with dignity in the international arena.

In a Tuesday meeting with former prime minister of Iraq Nouri al-Maliki in Tehran, Velayati hailed Iraq for adopting dignified stances in the Arab and Islamic world and in the international arena.

He also highlighted Maliki’s active part in efforts to ensure democracy and freedom in Iraq.

Velayati also expressed the confidence that the Iraqi forces will soon recapture the strategic city of Mosul from Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group.

An Iraqi operation to retake Mosul from terrorists has been going on since October 17, 2016. The battle began with 30,000 Iraqi soldiers backed by Hashid al-Shaabi (voluntary) and Kurdish fighters. Mosul has been occupied by Daesh since 2014.