Saudi Arabia has no right to meddle in Iraq: Iran commander

A senior Iranian commander has hailed recent victories by the Iraqi government and nation against Daesh terrorists, stressing that Saudi Arabia has no right to interfere in Iraq’s internal affairs.

“Saudi Arabia and its rulers are a foreign country with respect to the decisions of the Iraqi government and people and have no right to interfere in Iraq’s affairs,” Deputy Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri said in an interview with Iran's Al-Alam Arabic-language news channel on Monday.

He congratulated the Iraqi people and government as well as regional nations on the recapture of the strategic western city of Fallujah from Daesh terrorists.

“Fortunately, Iraq’s recent victories carry positive strategic points for the region and Iraq’s security environment, and will have notable effects and benefits, while on the other hand, will result in the spiritual and psychological collapse of the terrorists and their allies in the region and reduce their operational capabilities,” the Iranian commander pointed out.

On Sunday, the commander of the Fallujah liberation operation, Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi, said the last remaining district held by Daesh in the city had been retaken and declared the city’s full recapture from the terrorists.

Saidi added that at least 1,800 Takfiri militants were killed in the Fallujah operation.

Fallujah, located some 65 kilometers (40 miles) west of the capital, Baghdad, was the first Iraqi city to fall in the hands of Daesh terrorists in January 2014.

Jazayeri expressed hope that Iraqis would succeed in achieving more victories in the fight against terrorists, saying that all Muslim states including Iran are duty-bound to support Baghdad to uproot terrorism in the country and across the Middle East region.

“In line with the long-term security [interests] of Iraq and the surrounding countries, all parts of Iraq must be liberated [from Daesh terrorists],” he added.

Following the liberation of Fallujah, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited the city and vowed the recapture of the militants’ stronghold of Mosul in the near future.

The Iraqi premier said the national flag would be raised in Mosul, the country's second largest city, soon.

Jazayeri further warned against plots by the US and its allies to disintegrate Iraq and Syria, saying, “Documents and evidence show that the US seriously seeks to undermine Muslim countries.”

He added that the US and Zionists have waged a “proxy war” in the region.

The Iranian commander said Washington seeks to foment strife among Shia and Sunni Muslims to achieve its own objectives and guarantee the Israeli regime’s security.

Syria, Iraq's western neighbor, has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which has also displaced over half of the Arab country’s pre-war population of about 23 million.

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