Iran vows to counter any threat to Shiite shrines in Iraq

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reiterated Saturday that his country will counter any threat to the holy Shiite shrines in Iraq, Tasnim news agency reported.

Iran has made it clear that any aggression move against the Shiite shrines in Iraq is the red line for the Islamic republic, Rouhani was quoted as saying.

No act of aggression against the holy shrines in Iraq will be allowed, he said alluding to the possible offensives by the Islamic State (IS) militants.

In June 2014, Rouhani said that "We announce to the superpowers, the mercenaries, the criminals and the terrorists that the great Iranian nation will do everything to protect Shiite holy shrines in the Iraqi cities of Karbala, Najaf, Kazemein and Samarra."

Iran has announced that it would provide Iraq with military consultations that could help Iraq's army eradicate terrorism, but Iran would never directly be involved in Iraq.