TEHRAN – Iran, Russia, Syria and Iraq held a quartet intelligence committee meeting in Baghdad on Thursday, the Mehr news agency reported.

The meeting was primarily aimed at sharing intelligence in campaign against terrorism.

Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami represented Iran at the meeting.

Hatami said Iran attaches great importance to efforts in fighting terrorism. 

The defense chief said Tehran, Moscow, Baghdad and Damascus emerged as the strong force against Daesh which had occupied large swathes of land in Iraq and Syria.

“The coalition which was formed by Iran, Iraq, Syria and Russia based on the determination of the four countries’ top officials played a serious and effective role in defeating Daesh,” he explained.

Defense Minister Hatami added, “A common understanding of the threats and interests and… the four countries’ joint intelligence cooperation in fighting terrorism have been a successful experience in restoring stability and security and this should be a basis for future cooperation.”

He noted that certain countries which claim they want to help establish peace in the Middle East have “turned into the most criminal governments against the oppressed people of Iraq, Syria and Yemen”.

These countries have tried to legitimize aggression under the pretext of human rights, he remarked.

“Enemies seek to harm success in fighting terrorism examples of which are the recent attack by three Western countries against Syria along with the Zionist regime of Israel’s attacks on Syria,” he added.

The U.S., UK and France fired about 100 missiles at Syria on April 14. The attack took place one week after a suspected chemical weapons attack in the Syrian town of Douma near Damascus. The attackers claimed the Syrian government was responsible for the attack. However, the government rejected the claim.

The U.S. and Britain are also the chief main exporters to Saudi Arabia which launched a war against Yemen in March 2015. 

The Saudi-led war on Yemen has caused the greatest humanitarian crisis in modern history.

NA/PA