In what was described a shared interest between the U.S. and Iran in fighting the Islamic State group by Wall Street Journal, and a rare outreach to Iran's Supreme Leader, by Associated Press WASHINGTON, diplomatic sources revealed that President Barack Obama wrote a letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei about the fight against Islamic State militants, a common enemy in Syria and Iraq.
It is said that the U.S. and Iran are each engaged in military efforts to degrade the Islamic State group, essentially putting the longtime foes on the same side in the campaign against the extremists.
According to AP news, Obama's letter to Iran's powerful religious leader comes against the backdrop of the looming Nov. 24 deadline in nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, as well as five other world powers. While Obama reportedly previously sent letters to Khamenei, any communication between the two men has been extremely rare.
It is said that the U.S. and Iran are each engaged in military efforts to degrade the Islamic State group, essentially putting the longtime foes on the same side in the campaign against the extremists.
The Obama administration has repeatedly insisted that it is not coordinating and will not coordinate its military actions with Iran, though officials from both countries have discussed the matter more broadly.
Iran is a staunch supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is a target of the militants and opposed by the U.S.
Obama authorized a U.S.-led air campaign against Islamic State fighters in Iraq in August and expanded the mission the following month to neighboring Syria. The U.S. is taking action alongside several other nations, including a handful of regional partners.
Not confirming or denying the existence of the letter, U.S administration officials who reportedly separately confirmed the existence of the letter to The Associated Press, said there were still no plans to cooperate or coordinate with Iran against the militants.
"The United States will not cooperate militarily with Iran in that effort," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. "We won't share intelligence with them."
Information disclosed revealed that Iran, though not part of the United States coalition, has been fighting the IS on the ground. However, Iran's interests in pursuing the Islamic State's defeat differ from those of the Obama administration.
Iran is a staunch supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is a target of the militants and opposed by the U.S.
Obama authorized a U.S.-led air campaign against Islamic State fighters in Iraq in August and expanded the mission the following month to neighboring Syria. The U.S. is taking action alongside several other nations, including a handful of regional partners.
Two chief critics of Obama's foreign policy, Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, called it "outrageous" that Obama would seek to enlist Iran in its fight against the IS given Iran's support for Assad and Shia extremists throughout the region.
"The consequences of this ill-conceived bargain would destroy the Syrians' last, best chance to live in freedom from the brutal Assad regime," the senators reportedly said in a joint statement.
United States officials have not ruled out the possibility that a nuclear accord with Iran could open the door to discussions on other issues, but they have sought to keep the delicate negotiations focused solely on Tehran's disputed nuclear program.
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