Velayati rules out Iranian involvement in any conflict abroad

Velayati made the remarks on the sidelines of a meeting with former Swedish Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Nils Daniel Carl Bildt.

He said that regarding the experience the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran offers military advice to Iraq on the request of Iraqi government, reports IRNA.

He noted that in Mosul or other operations in Iraq or any other place abroad, for instance Syria, Iran has been providing military advice on the request of the Syrian government. 

'Or else, Iran has not been directly involved in any conflict.'

To a question on the media reports that Kurdish President Masoud Barzani will pay a visit to Iran imminently and that whether the visit had something to do with liberation of Mosul, Velayati said the visit is irrelevant to the issue.

Barzani will as official of the northern Iraqi region and old friend of Iran will visit the country is natural and the Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes him, he added.

He said that Iranians have friendly ties with Iraqi government and people and that the chief of Iraqi Kurdistan administration, the Sunni Muslim leader, the Arab and Shia Muslim friends from Iraq can visit Iran whenever they wish and they will be warmly welcomed.

'Let's say the key to the Syrian crisis should be based on principles, including such principle that government of Bashar Assad is legal and the legitimacy should be recognized by all because Assad has been elected on public votes; and that, we stress maintaining Syrian territorial integrity and oppose any disintegration there. And that, cooperation between Iran and Europe can lead to peaceful settlement of the humanitarian plight in Syria and campaign against terrorism because the terrorism in Syria is a calamity for all the world people and will not be restricted to Syria.'