TEHRAN (Tasnim) - An informed source at Iran�s foreign ministry categorically denied a story in an Arab-language newspaper that the Islamic Republic had deployed elite forces to Iraq.
�The Islamic Republic of Iran has no plan to deploy military forces to Iraq,� the informed sources said on Friday.

The announcement was made in response to a recent report published by Asharq Al-Awsat pan-Arab daily newspaper, which cited an Iraqi Kurdish security source as saying that Iran has sent a heavily armed military group to Kirkuk.

The newspaper quoted the Kurdish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, as saying that the group consisted of 200 elite Iranian military forces, tasked with protecting holy Shiite sites in the Arab country.

Since the security crisis flared up in Iraq, Iranian officials have reiterated that the Islamic Republic would not interfere in Iraq�s internal affairs but have pledged any necessary logistical support or consultations.

Back on June 18, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Hassan Firouzabadi had reiterated that military forces would never be deployed from Iran to Iraq. The Iranian high-ranking commander had noted that there would be no need for such deployment.

And later in July, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian emphasized that the country has no military advisers in Iraq.

�If Iraq demands us to sell or give them any arms to fight terrorism, we will definitely consider such request within the framework of international regulations and treaties,� the Iranian diplomat said at the time.

By Tasnim�News Agency

 

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