Iran ready to train Iraqi army: General

Commander of the elite Army Command and General Staff College (DAFOOS) Brigadier General Hossein Valivand said the academy is ready to train Iraqi army officers.

Speaking to IRNA, the general said the issue of training Iraqi officers was discussed in a recent visit to Tehran by Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi.

Al-Obeidi paid a visit to Tehran on December 29 and called for more support from Iran for Iraq’s armed forces, saying cooperation between the two forces is a strategic need.

Minister of Defense Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan told his Iraqi counterpart that supporting Iraq’s armed forces is part of Iran’s defense and security strategies.

In response to a question whether the Iranian army has a program to train Iraq’s Kurdistan peshmergas, Valivand said DAFOOS is an elite military academy and is ready to cooperate with armed forces of friendly countries.

‘When our Defense Ministry signs a security defense contract with a country, then we can train officers of that country or send staff for training,’ said the general, adding that officers from Oman, Pakistan, and Syria are currently being trained in Iran.

He said Iranian officers also take training courses in China, Pakistan, and Oman.