The United States and other powers were failing to confront Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, and only Iran was committed to the task, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps says, according to the Reuters.

Major General Qassem Soleimani, whose force is responsible for protecting the Islamic Republic’s interests abroad, has become a familiar face on the battlefields of Iraq, where he often outranks local commanders.

“Today, in the fight against this dangerous phenomenon (ISIL), nobody is present except Iran,” the Tasnim news agency quoted Soleimani as saying on Sunday in a speech to former and serving members of the IRGC in city of Kerman.

Iran should help countries suffering at the hands of ISIL, said Soleimani, the Mehr news agency reported.

ISIL militant group has taken key cities in Iraq and Syria in the past week, routing regular forces in both countries with apparent ease.

On May 14, Ramadi’s defense melted away as ISIL advanced. Hundreds of policemen were killed after ISIL captured the city.

“Obama has not done a damn thing so far to confront Daesh [an Arabic acronym for ISIL]. Doesn’t that show that there is no will in America to confront it?” Mehr quoted Soleimani as saying.

“How is it that America claims to be protecting the Iraqi government, when a few kilometers away in Ramadi killings and war crimes are taking place and they are doing nothing?” he explained.

ISIL routinely executes prisoners, enslaves captives and destroys historic sites.

“We should immunize our borders against this great evil and we should help those countries that are suffering under Daesh,” Soleimani said.

Baghdad officials have said that it was Iran that rushed to help Iraqis in the face of surprise attacks by ISIL militants whose brutalities have shocked the world.


MD/P