FARS NEWS AGENCY
TEHRAN (FNA)- Head of Iran-Iraq Parliamentary Friendship Group Nasser Soudani underlined that the Zionist regime of Israel is the common enemy of all Muslims, including Shiites and Sunnis, and called on the Takfiri groups not to be the soldiers of Tel Aviv.
The Iranian lawmaker pointed to Takfiri terrorists as the arms of Zionism in the region that carry out operations against Muslims, the Islamic republic new agency reported.
Soudani added that Takfiri terrorists’ acts are aimed at strengthening the Zionists’ international hegemony by targeting solidarity of Muslims.
He further stressed that Zionists are angry with expansion of Iran-Iraq economic and political relations.
Speaking to reporters during her weekly press briefing on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said Iran has always warned against the danger of extremism in the region given the fact that a number of countries supported the terrorist Takfiri groups.
She said such countries have to stand accountable for their actions.
The Iranian spokeswoman expressed sympathy with the families of the victims of the recent terrorist attack on the Iranian technicians and workers in Iraq.
She said it was clear to all that the terrorists were actually targeting the solidarity and peaceful life of the Iraqi nation, urging the Iraqis to maintain vigilance to safeguard their national solidarity.
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif condemned the recent terrorist attack which killed 20 Iranian technicians working on Iran-Iraq gas pipeline in Baqubah, and reiterated the necessity for cooperation among the regional states to fight terrorism.
“Actually, the terrorist act was an ominous move against the two countries and all the other regional nations, and it doubled the necessity for the regional states’ consultation and cooperation to confront this ominous phenomenon of terrorism,” Zarif said in a meeting with Leader of the Iraqi Shiite National Coalition Ebrahim Jafari in Tehran.
He appreciated the Iraqi government for its continued investigations into the identity of the terrorists behind the attack against the Iranian technicians, and stressed, “The two countries will make their utmost efforts to continue the present trend of the consolidation of their relations despite these desperate attempts (made by the enemies).”
On Friday, masked gunmen shot dead 22 people near the village of Balad Ruz, situated 90 kilometers (55 miles) Northeast of Baghdad.
The victims were working on a pipeline projected to carry natural gas from Iran to its Western neighbor, when they came under attack.
After the attack, Iran announced that such acts cannot impede implementation of the project.
Managing Director of Iran’s Gas Engineering and Development Company Alireza Qaribi said that the attack is under investigation, and noted that an Iranian private sector contractor is in charge of building the gas pipeline.
He further added that Iran is resolved to continue implementing the gas pipeline which will carry Iran’s natural gas to Iraq.
The project will connect Iraq’s gas network and Naft Shahr energy reserves in Western Iran.