WASHINGTON, September 23 (RIA Novosti) – The United States has no plans for any military cooperation with Iran to fight against Islamic State (IS) militants, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest confirmed Monday.
"The United States will not coordinate any military activities with the Iranians; the United States will not be involved in sharing intelligence with Iranians," Earnest said.
The White House representative underlined that talks between P5+1 group and Tehran on Iranian nuclear program are entirely separate from US President Barack Obama's efforts to build international coalition against the IS.
On Sunday, US Secretary of State John Kerry had talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in New York, where the new round of nuclear negotiations between Iran's political leadership and the P5+1 group took place September 18-22. Zarif voiced regret that Iran was not invited to an international conference in Paris to discuss the threat posed by IS militants. Iran could play a pivotal role in countering the militants, according to the Iraqi foreign minister.
The IS, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), has been fighting the Syrian government since 2012. In June 2014, the group extended its attacks to northern and western Iraq, declaring a caliphate on the territories over which it had control.
