TEHRAN
Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said Saturday Iraq's holy sites are Iran's red line, in an interview with Iranian state TV network Al-Alam.
"Holy sites in Iraq are our red lines. Iran will intervene immediately if these sites were threatened by ISIL or any other armed unit,” Dehghan said.
"Our security is very important for us. If there is a terrorist threat beyond our borders we will take an action," he said.
He also underlined that Tehran was ready to provide assistance in the case that the Iraqi government asks for help.
Iraq has been gripped by a security vacuum since June, when ISIL stormed the northern province of Mosul and declared what it calls a caliphate in Iraq and Syria.
The U.S. is leading an international coalition which has carried out numerous airstrikes against ISIL in Iraq and Syria since the militant group took over Mosul.
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