Iran condemns terrorist attack in Iraq

Iran’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said the spread of terrorist moves in Iraq is an obvious example of the transnational threat of terrorism, Press TV reported Tuesday.

“Given the worldwide threat of terrorism, it is necessary for governments and international bodies to stand by the Iraqi government and nation under the current critical situation,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on Tuesday.

She expressed concern over repeated terrorist attacks on Iraqi cities and rural areas and hoped joint efforts by the country’s army, security forces and people to counter terrorist moves would restore security and peace.

Afkham also expressed Iran’s support for the Iraqi government and nation and said strengthening national unity and convergence among all political groups will play a “very important and effective” role in fighting terrorists.

Al-Qaeda-linked militants occupied Mosul, the capital of the Nineveh Province, after they took control of the governor’s headquarters, prisons and television stations.

Mosul is the second Iraqi city to fall to militants this year, after the government lost control of Fallujah in early January.

The so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, DAESH, later occupied some parts of Kirkuk and the militants also managed to launch attacks in the capital city Baghdad and in other parts Iraq.

A source in Iraq’s defense ministry said that Tuesday night they sent Special Forces to Mosul which was occupied by DAESH.

Nour al-Maleki, Iraq’s Prime Minister, issued a state of emergency throughout the country. He said that all whose negligence lead to such results would be strongly punished.

Shiites’ Grand Ayatollah, Sayed Ali Sistani, released a statement on Tuesday and condemned the capture of the Nineveh province. The Shiite cleric called for unity among all of the country’s political factions against the militants.