Recapture of Kirkuk Foils Iraq Disintegration Plot: Iran

A top advisor to Iran’s Leader says the recent recapture of Kirkuk thwarted a plot to disintegrate Iraq, adding the days of the US’ presence and influence in the region are numbered.

Ali-Akbar Velayati, an international aide to the Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, says the majority of Iraqi people favour the integrity of their country.

“Fortunately, with the prudence and farsightedness of the Iraqi prime minister, government and parliament, the conspiracy to disintegrate Iraq orchestrated by Zionists and supported by the Americans was foiled with the bloodless recapture of Kirkuk,” said Velayati, who is a member of the Expediency Council.

“This indicates the prudence of the Iraqi government, the country’s people, army troops and Popular Mobilization Units forces,” he added in a Farsi interview with Tasnim.

“They managed to win back Kirkuk, which is an important city and where Arab Kurds, Shiites, Turkmens and Sunnis have been living alongside each other peacefully for years,” Velayati noted.

He said the recapture of Kirkuk rid them of the “artificial scheme” to bring about the secession of the Kurdistan region from Iraq.

“The majority of Iraqi people want the integrity of their country. Although Barzani was seeking to implement a plan dictated to him from outside, Iraqi people have paid due regard to their national interests and are seeking to maintain the territorial integrity of their country,” he said.

“God willing, we will witness the progress of the government and people of Iraq, which has the most commonalities with us as its neighbor,” he noted.

He said Iran will not hesitate to offer any kind of assistance that the legitimate governments of Iraq, Syria and Lebanon may demand to advance their development and national interests.

“Gone are the days of the United States’ influence and presence in the region, and Trump is struggling to no avail,” Velayati noted.

He said US authorities are disgraced in the world.

“The Americans should identify their faults. The best way to get rid of failures is to return to their country and let people in the region determine their own destiny through interaction with one another,” he underlined.

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