Iran offers military cooperation to Iraq

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said that the Islamic republic is ready to expand its military and security cooperation with Iraq, the local satellite Press TV reported on Monday. In two separate messages to Iraqi Army's Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Babakir Zebari and Iraqi Acting Defense Minister Sadun al-Dulaymi on Sunday, Firouzabadi expressed his country's satisfaction with the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. He said that the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq was the result of determination and resistance of the Iraqi nation and government. "We hope the United States has learned a lesson from its nine- year occupation and humiliating defeat in Iraq and never thinks about attacking another country," he was quoted as saying. According to the report, during a meeting with Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Forces commander Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour on Nov. 13 in Tehran, Zebari called for more Tehran-Baghdad military cooperation. Iraq is facing some security challenges and needs to exchange views with Iran, which is strong in many areas including security, said Zebari. Iran has said that the only path to the establishment of peace and security in the region is the cooperation of regional countries, without foreigners' intervention.