Hawzah News Agency- According to a statement, almost 5,000 people in Iraq's Diyala province gathered to declare their intent to defend both Iraq and its eastern neighbour, as well as Iran-backed armed groups, "without any compensation".
“We announce our readiness to volunteer to support our security forces, the Popular Mobilisation Forces, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we categorically reject American intervention in the Islamic Republic'', the statement read.
On Thursday, Iran’s army spokesperson, Brigadier-General Mohammad Akraminia, said the military was ready for war, which would “encompass the entire region and all US bases” if that is what Washington wanted.
Ammar al-Tamimi, a leader in the Iran-backed Badr Organization, which coordinated the gathering in Diyala, said the volunteers were not associated with any specific armed faction.
"Rather, we are volunteers ready to serve as a reserve force for the security forces'', Tamimi told Rudaw.
“This formation consists of 4,947 names, and its organisational structure, along with the names of each volunteer, will be submitted to the Diyala Operations Command, which will then forward them to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces''.
Iraq has maintained close ties with Iran since the 2003 war that overthrew Saddam Hussein.
Source: MIDDLE EAST EYE
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