Is Iran worried about IS on its border?
Statements by Iranian officials suggest that they are worried about the Islamic State reaching their borders and even carrying out attacks inside Iran.
Brig. Gen. Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, commander of the Iranian army's ground forces, attended a closed-door session of the Iranian parliament May 24 and warned the members about the Islamic State (IS) threat.
“Today, the terrorist and takfiri forces are near our borders," he said. "A year ago this time, it came down from general staff headquarters that [IS] forces are in Jalawla and Saadiya and their next step would be Khanaqin, and then Iran. The takfiri terrorists of [IS] had recruited supporters and had planned a series of explosions and terrorist activities inside Iran until [IS] forces could reach the borders. However, their plots were unfolded by the Ministry of Intelligence."
He went on to say that five brigades were sent to fight against IS and Iran's infantry and helicopters penetrated into Iraq.
This is the first time that a high-ranking military official of Iran has officially commented on the IS presence near Iranian borders, or that IS is planning to attack Iran. There are usually reports of conflict between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and IS forces in the media. Now, however, it has become clear that Iran’s army has been fighting IS during the last few months. It's a rare event for the military forces of the Islamic Republic to enter Iraq without informing the United Nations. By acknowledging that five brigades were sent to fight IS, Pourdastan has acknowledged that more than 30,000 military personnel of Iran have been involved.
