US responsible for rise in terrorism, says Iran

Iranian Majlis (parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani said military campaigns carried out by the US across the globe have led to creation of terrorist groups in the invaded countries.

"Experience drawn from the spread of terrorism in Afghanistan shows that any time the US marches into a country, terrorist groups will sprout there," Press TV reported Larijani as saying in a meeting with Iraqi Vice President Usama al-Nujayfi in Baghdad Wednesday.

He also held some countries responsible for the rise in terrorism across the Middle East through supply of ammunition to terrorists, emphasizing that advocates of terrorist groups have certainly committed a folly.

The top Iranian lawmaker noted that opposition to the political landscape in Syria does not offer an excuse to launch a military incursion into the crisis-torn country and sponsor terrorism.

Larijani stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran does not believe in the US-led military coalition against Islamic State (IS) militants operating inside Syria and Iraq.

"Terrorism has created rifts among Muslims, and such tensions will waste away the energy of regional countries, and this will eventually benefit the US and the Zionist regime of Israel. The question that now comes to mind is: What drove America to form such an alliance," he said.

The IS terrorists control some parts of Syria and Iraq. They are engaged in crimes against humanity in the areas under their control.

Since late September, the US and its allies have been conducting air strikes against the IS inside Syria without any authorisation from Damascus or an UN mandate.

Washington has been also carrying out similar air raids against IS positions in Iraq since August. However, the raids have so far failed to dislodge the IS.

Nujayfi, for his part, stated that Baghdad needs Tehran's support for the fight against the IS terrorists, adding that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is seeking to ensure political consensus among various factions in Iraq.