Iranian Cleric: Without our forces, we would be fighting ISIS in Tehran's streets

Shafaq News / The Friday prayer leader of Tehran Hojjat al-Islam Ahmad Khatami asserted that had Iran's forces not countered the incursion of ISIS into areas of Iraq and Syria, they would have had to engage them in the streets and alleys of the Iranian capital.

Khatami made these remarks during his sermon commemorating the establishment of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and National Army Day during Friday prayers.

During the sermon, Hojjat al-Islam Khatami emphasized that "the armed forces are the strong arms of the Iranian people."

He further stated, "If the armed forces and General Qassem Soleimani had not fought against ISIS, we would have had to fight alongside them in the streets of Tehran."

Khatami also highlighted that under the protection of the armed forces, the country enjoys security, with education, universities, agriculture, and industry functioning smoothly.

It is noteworthy that ultraconservative Sunni ISIS emerged in the early 2000s with the sole aim of establishing a caliphate, or Islamic state, governed by strict Sharia law.

It gained global attention for its brutal tactics, including mass executions, kidnappings, and the persecution of minorities.

At its peak, ISIS controlled significant territories in Iraq and Syria, but military efforts by various international coalitions, including the United States and local forces, have significantly weakened it.