Iran ‘backs US military contacts’

to fight Islamic State

Iran’s Supreme Leader has approved co-operation with the US as part of the fight against Islamic State in northern Iraq, sources have told BBC Persian.

Ayatollah Khamenei has authorised his top commander to co-ordinate military operations with the US, Iraqi and Kurdish forces, sources in Tehran say.

Shia Iran regards the extremist Sunni Islamic State group, which views Shias as heretics, as a serious threat.

Iran has traditionally opposed US involvement in Iraq, an Iranian ally.

However last month US air strikes helped Iranian-backed Shia militia and Kurdish forces break a two-month siege by Islamic State (IS) of the Shia town of Amerli.