Press TV- The Iranian ambassador to Baghdad has defended the role of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), better known as Hashd al-Shaabi, in fighting terrorism in Iraq, saying the force is a necessity for the countrys security.
Hashd al-Shaabi is today a powerful legal organization in Iraq and recognized by the Iraqi government and parliament, Iraj Masjidi said in an exclusive interview with Press TV earlier this week.
Hashd al-Shaabi, a combination of some 40 groups of mostly Shia fighters, was formed shortly after the emergence of the Daesh terrorist group in Iraq in mid-2014.
In the early days of the Daeshs reign of terror, the then volunteer fighters played a major role in reinforcing the Iraqi army, which had suffered heavy setbacks in the face of lightning advances by the terrorists.
In November 2016, the Iraqi parliament voted to integrate Hashd al-Shaabi into the military.
On Friday, Iraqs most senior Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani says the volunteer forces, who helped the army eradicate Daesh, should be incorporated into state bodies.
Asked about recent calls by the Western countries for dismantling the group, Masjidi said the groups collapse has no meaning.
If the US and others call [for dismantling Daesh,] firstly, it is none of their business and this decision is upon the Iraqi people. Secondly, in my opinion, it is a necessity for Iraqs security and its defense, he added.
The Iranian official further stressed that Hashd al-Shaabi is a force that has along with other Iraqi armed forces created a big military, defense and defense power for the country.
In the post-Daesh era, he said, Hashd al-Shaabi would be a grantee for the countrys security and serve as a deterrent against future threats to Iraq.
The group belongs to the Iraqi nation and government and defends country's territorial integrity, he noted.
Asked about the security situation on the Iraqi-Syrian border, Masjidi said that only the government of the two countries were responsible to safeguard their frontiers and the US should not interfere in the issue.
He also touched on Irans support for the Iraqi government and armed forces in their fight against terrorism, saying that the presence of Iranian military advisers in Iraq in the post-Daesh era depends on the situation and Baghdads request.