Iraq crisis gives Iran’s Rouhani an opportunity

TEHRAN — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Saturday that his government is prepared to assist Iraq in its fight against al-Qaida-inspired militants and did not rule out cooperating with the United States against the new wave of extremism in Iraq.

“We are ready to help Iraq within the framework of international law, and if the Iraqi government and nation ask us to do so, we will consider it. But as of today, they have not asked us for any specific help,” Rouhani said, describing his relationship with Iraq’s prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, as “close and intimate.”

Rouhani said he and President Barack Obama have official — and unofficial — channels of communication, which they use, although they have not done so regarding the current crisis in Iraq.

“America hasn’t acted on this situation yet. Whenever the United States makes a move on the ISIS, then we can think about cooperation with them in Iraq,” Rouhani said, referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

Despite reports that members of the Quds Force, an elite unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, had already been deployed to Iraq, Rouhani said Iran wanted to stay out of the fray if possible.

But the Iranian president called on other regional countries and international powers to help end the violence in Iraq, which he said was in part a reaction to the recent election there, the results of which had angered Sunni militant groups.

“Democracy says a country should be ruled by the ballot box, but terrorism says it is the box of ammunition that rules,” Rouhani said.