Iran and ISIL

Iran is an opponent of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), fighting the group in Syria and Iraq.

Since the start of Syrian Civil War in 2011 Iran is supporting Syrian government against its opponents, including ISIL.

Iran was the first country to pledge assistance to Iraq to fight ISIL, deploying troops in early June 2014 following North Iraq offensive.

President of Iraq Fuad Masum has praised Iran as "the first country to provide weapons to Iraq to fight against the ISIL Takfiri terrorists".

Iran's Quds Force is a "key player" in Military intervention against the ISIL and its "mastermind" commander Major General Qassem Soleimani maintains a frequent presence in Iraq while his pictures in the battlefield are regularly published.

In 14 March 2016, two ISIL cells equipped with explosive devices were eliminated near the border by the Ground Forces of Islamic Republic of Iran Army.

Foreign Affairs Minister of Iran Javad Zarif has described the group as an "ideological sibling" to Al-Qaeda, adding "the so-called Islamic State, is neither Islamic nor a state".