Iraq crisis could spread elsewhere: Iran official

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a meeting with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Anwar Mohammed Gargash on Monday.
 
Amir-Abdollahian is on a whistle-stop trip to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman to discuss the latest developments in the region, particularly the situation in Iraq and Syria.
 
The Iranian official called on all countries to oppose and counter the dangerous phenomena of terrorism and extremism.
 
Amir-Abdollahian outlined Iran’s policy regarding Iraq and underlined territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Iraq.
 
He said that the Iraqi people are opposed to the disintegration of their country, voicing Iran’s support for the Iraqi nation and government in their fight against terrorism.
 
The UAE official, for his part, said the spread of extremism, violence and sectarianism will be to the detriment of all countries in the region.
 
He referred to meetings and consultations of officials from regional countries as a contributing factor to counter terrorist threats.
 
The UAE official said the Islamic Republic plays a major role in finding a political solution to the crisis in Iraq.
 
Iraq is currently witnessing a spate of violence, which escalated after militants from the Takfiri ISIL terrorist group took control of large swathes of the country, including key cities in early June.