Iran has denied it conducted air
strikes against ISIL targets in eastern Iraq, after Al Jazeera ran
footage of what appeared to be an F-4 fighter jet, similar to those used
by the Iranian air force.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an Iranian official told Reuters
news agency on Wednesday that “Iran has never been involved in any air
strikes against the Daesh targets in Iraq.”
The official was using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State of
Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the armed group which controls large
expanses in Iraq and Syria.
“Any cooperation in such strikes with America is also out of question for Iran,” the official said.
The Al Jazeera footage of the alleged F-4 fighter was filmed on
November 24 as the jet struck ISIL targets in the province of Diyala,
prompting media reports that Iran was involved in the US-led coalition
against ISIL.
The Pentagon on Tuesday said it had no reason to doubt reports that Iranian fighter jets had bombed ISIL targets in Diyala.
“I have seen those reports. We have no indication that the reports
are not true that Iranian aircraft have conducted air strikes, in the
last several days, against ISIL targets in eastern Iraq,” John Kirby,
the Pentagon press secretary, said.
“Again, you should consult the Iranian government to speak to the activities of their government.”
Israeli media suggested it was highly unlikely that Iranian fighter
jets would be operating in the same area as the international coalition
without significant coordination.
However, the deputy chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces has dismissed those reports as “totally untrue”.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran blames the United States as the root
cause of unrest and problems as well as the terrorist actions of ISIL in
Iraq,” Iran’s state news agency FARS quoted General Massoud Jazayeri,
as saying.
On his part, Kirby also said that “nothing has changed about [US]
policy of not coordinating military activity with the Iranians”.