The United States and Iran may be bombing a common enemy in Iraq,
one whom they both despise -- ISIS.
Recent
media reports from the region claim Iran's military conducted air raids in
eastern Iraq, and on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Pentagon said the reports
might be true.
"We
have indications that they (Iranians) have flown these missions in recent days,
these airstrikes in eastern Iraq, Continue....
No
coordination, U.S. says
Is Iran
coordinating with the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Sunni Islamist
extremists?
Adamantly,
no, came the answer from both sides
The U.S. is not working with
Iran's military, and it is not even directly communicating with it over
operations in the country, Kirby said.
"We
are not coordinating with nor are we deconflicting with Iranian military,"
he said. Both sides are leaving it to Iraq to manage their movements in Iraqi
airspace and keep them both out of each other's hair.
Speaking
from Brussels, Belgium, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry didn't confirm or
deny Iran's military action, saying that's up to the Iraqi or Iranian government.
But he did say that while the United States is coordinating its military action
with Iraqi authorities, "nothing has changed" as far as its lack of
coordination with Iran.
"I
think it's self-evident that if Iran is taking (action against ISIS) in some
particular place, and it's confined to taking on (ISIS) and it has an impact,
it's going to be a net effect that is positive," Kerry said. "But
it's not something we're coordinating."
Iran
blames U.S. for regional unrest
A
high-ranking Iranian military official also vehemently rejected the notion that
there may have been any coordinated bombing, and he attacked the United States
in his comments.
"The
Islamic Republic of Iran blames the United States as the root cause of unrests
and problems as well as the terrorist actions of ISIL in Iraq," Gen.
Massoud Jazayeri told the government-approved FARS News Agency, adding that
Iran wants U.S. influence to completely evaporate.
In
another FARS report, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard characterized the
United States as an enemy, not an ally.
"Today,
the Americans are in a strategic dead-end and have experienced all possible
options and strategies against the Islamic Revolution, but couldn't attain
their desired goals," Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari said. "The U.S.
capabilities can no more be expanded and their capacities for initiating a
change have reached the level of saturation, meaning that the U.S. is left with
no more option but admitting the Islamic Republic of Iran's real power."
A common
enemy
Yet ISIS is one of
few issues that Iran and the United States agree on; both countries want to
quash the terror group that has been taking over large swaths of Iraq and
Syria.
But with
no diplomatic relations with Iran and lingering concerns about its nuclear program, the United States has had to walk a
tightrope over Iran's involvement.
This was
reflected in comments that U.S. President Barack Obama made to CBS' "Face
the Nation."
"There
is some deconflicting, in the sense that since they have some troops or
militias they control in and around Baghdad ... we let them know, 'Don't mess
with us. We're not here to mess with you.' We're focused on our common
enemy," Obama said.
Iranians
defend Baghdad?
Word of
Iranian participation in the fight against ISIS is nothing new.
A
military official in Iran has said the world can thank his country that ISIS
has not been able to assault Baghdad.
"The
(ISIS) terrorists sought to surround Baghdad, but they failed in reaching their
ominous goals thanks to Iran's supports," Brig. Gen. Esmayeel Qa'ani told
FARS.
Qa'ani is
lieutenant commander of the Quds Force, an elite unit of Iran's Revolutionary
Guard Corps.
According
to FARS, senior military officials in Baghdad said the Quds Force helped free
the Iraqi town of Jurf al-Sakher from ISIS control.
Conflicting
interests
But the
common interest is complicated by diverging interests.
The
United States wants to put an end to all Islamist extremism, and in the past,
it has accused Tehran of sponsoring terrorism.
Iran itself is
an Islamic republic, governed by stringent Islamic law. But the state religion
is Shia Islam, which Sunni Muslim extremists, such as ISIS, consider heresy.
Fear of
religious tensions
In
neighboring Iraq, there is a tense and at times violent schism between Shia and
Sunni factions, with the former dominating in government.
Iran has
close ties to the Shia faction.
That has
stirred fears in Washington that Iran's involvement could not only weaken ISIS,
but could also drive the wedge between Iraqis deeper.
"We
want nothing to be done that further inflames sectarian tensions in the
country," Kirby said of Iranian military actions.
Iran is
also a close ally of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, who is battling ISIS as well. Beating back
ISIS would take some pressure off of his troops.
The
United States is calling for al-Assad's removal.
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