Iran intelligence minister blames Israel, US for Iraq crisis

The statement came as the Iranian gov't officially denied sending troops over its border with Iraq to aid the defense of Baghdad from Sunni extremists.

By MICHAEL WILNER
Fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria stand guard at a checkpoint in the northern Iraq city of Mosul, June 11, 2014. (photo credit: REUTERS)
Fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria stand guard at a checkpoint in the northern Iraq city of Mosul, June 11, 2014.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
WASHINGTON – Iranian deputy minister of intelligence Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Khazaei says terrorists supported “by Israel and America” are responsible for the fall of Mosul, Iraq, to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The statement by the official came as the Iranian government officially denied sending troops over its border with Iraq to aid the defense of Baghdad from Sunni extremists, seeking to carve a new caliphate in the region and impose Shari’a law.
Despite historic enmity between Iran, and Iraq’s former Sunni leader, Saddam Hussein – and longstanding tension between Iran and the United States – all three governments in Tehran, Washington and Baghdad view ISIS as a threat to their interests and security.
Khazaei said 30 individuals connected to ISIS had been arrested in Iran in the past month.