Iran jet fighters bomb IS militants in Iraq

WEDNESDAY 03 DECEMBER 2014

Iran conducts air strikes against Islamic State group targets in Iraq, but the US says the strikes were not done in conjunction with the US-led coalition.

Picture: Iranian F-4 fighter jets on a military parade earlier this year

The Pentagon confirmed that Iranian fighter jets had bombed IS targets in eastern Iraq over the last few days, but said nothing had changed about US policy of "not co-ordinating military activity with the Iranians."

A senior Iranian military official also dismissed talk of co-operation.

The air strikes confirm Tehran's determination to confront IS. The Iranians and Americans share a common enemy in the jihadist group, but the long-time adversaries have no formal partnership in efforts to defeat them.

'Nothing has changed'

"We have indications that they [Iran] did indeed fly air strikes with F-4 Phantoms in the past several days," said Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral Kirby.

"We are flying missions over Iraq, we co-ordinate with the Iraqi government as we conduct those," he said. "It's up to the Iraqi government to deconflict that airspace."

"Nothing has changed about our policy of not co-ordinating military activity with the Iranians."

The Deputy Chief of Staff of Iran's armed forces, Brigadeer-General Massoud Jazayeri also denied any collaboration between the US and Iran.

He said that he considered the US responsible for Iraq's "unrest and problems" and the US would "definitely not have a place in the future of that country".

The comments come after al-Jazeera broadcast footage of what appeared to be an ageing F-4 fighter jet similar to those used by Iran's air force attacking targets in the eastern province of Diyala.

The F-4 Phantom was built for the US navy from 1961 until production ceased in 1981. Although the jets were sold around the world, only Iran and Turkey are said to still fly them and only a few are believed to be in operating condition.