US, Iran both want to defeat ISIL: Kerry
US Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States and Iran both have a "mutual interest" in defeating the ISIL terrorist group but the two countries are not cooperating with each other in this regard.
"They are totally opposed to ISIL and they are in fact taking on and fighting and eliminating ISIL members along the Iraqi border near Iran and have serious concerns about what that would do to the region," Kerry told a US Senate committee on Wednesday.
"So we have at least a mutual interest, if not a cooperative effort," he stated.
The top US diplomat added that Washington had not requested Tehran to get involved in the battle against the terrorist organization.
The ISIL terrorists, many of whom were initially trained by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Jordan in 2012 to destabilize the Syrian government, now control large parts of Iraq and Syria. They have been engaged in crimes against humanity in the areas under their control.
They have been carrying out horrific acts of violence such as public decapitations and crucifixions against all communities, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, and Christians.
Iran has repeatedly said that it will not interfere militarily in Iraq and Syria, but that Tehran will continue to provide support for both countries against ISIL in the form of defense consultation and humanitarian aid.
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