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12/27/2024 07:48:14 am

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Iran Supplies Weapons To Kurdistan At President's Request

Iraqi Kurdish Regional President Masoud Barzani (R) shakes Hand with Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Abril, North Baghdad

(Photo : Reuters/Azad Lashkari)

Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani confirms that Iran has been supplying ammunitions and weapons to Iraqi Kurdish forces during a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday in Arbil, Kurdistan's capital.

Bazani said his forces need the weapons and Iran was the first country to respond.

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For his part, Zarif confirmed that Iran supplies the weapons, but it does not include deployment of military troops in the country. He also unequivocally stated that Iran has no military presence in Iraq.

However, Iraqi politicians perceived Iran's action of supplying arms to Iraqi Kurdish either as a way to help Kurdish forces in their attempts to secede from Iraq or Iran's attempt to directly participate in the conflict.

It has been weeks since the militants from the Islamic State (IS) have been clashing with Kurdish peshmerga fighters. The IS has already controlled several areas in Kurdistan.

Earlier today, a car bomb exploded in a Shi'ite district where 12 people were killed and another 28 people were injured.

The IS, which now has control over large areas in western and northern Iraq, claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing incident in the neighboring areas of Baghdad.

The militants said the bombing was their revenge for an attack against the Sunni mosque on Friday that killed 68 people.

The U.N.'s Human Rights Council held an emergency session and talked to Barzani on Tuesday to address the atrocities IS is inflicting in the region.

In Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said that France, Britain, Canada, Italy, Croatia, Albania and Germany had committed to extend weapons and ammunitions to Iraq.

The U.S. has been supplying small amount of weaponry channelled through intelligence units as well as carrying out series of airstrikes against Islamic State militants to protect Kurdish area.

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