The UN Security Council urged the international community on Friday
to expand support for the Iraqi government as it fights the Islamic
State (IS) group and its supporters.
The presidential statement approved by all 15 council members at a meeting chaired by US Secretary of State John Kerry expressed "deep outrage" at the killing, kidnapping, rape and torture of Iraqis and citizens of other countries by the IS group.
Iran's Foreign Minister was present at the meeting, signalling a possible cooperation with the US and the UN.
"The fact is there is a role for nearly every country in world to play, including Iran, whose Foreign Minister is here with us today. ISIL poses a threat to all of us and we are committed to working with close partnership the new Iraqi Government and countries around the world to defeat it," said Kerry.
The meeting was also attended by Nickolay Mladenov, the head of UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, who called IS a "scourge."
Kerry convened the council to show support for the new Iraqi government in its efforts to combat IS.
Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, stressed that defeating IS was the responsibility of the Iraqi government, but he called for "the support of friendly nations in the air campaign (against IS)."
A few hours before foreign ministers gathered at the UN, French fighter jets struck militant Islamic State group targets in Iraq, becoming the first country to publicly add military muscle to US air strikes.
"Acting for Iraq and against the Islamic State terrorists is a duty for all of us," said Laurent Fabius, French Foreign Minister.
Kerry chaired the meeting a day after Congress approved the Obama administration's plan to help arm and train moderate Syrian rebels fighting IS militants in the Middle East.
The presidential statement approved by all 15 council members at a meeting chaired by US Secretary of State John Kerry expressed "deep outrage" at the killing, kidnapping, rape and torture of Iraqis and citizens of other countries by the IS group.
Iran's Foreign Minister was present at the meeting, signalling a possible cooperation with the US and the UN.
"The fact is there is a role for nearly every country in world to play, including Iran, whose Foreign Minister is here with us today. ISIL poses a threat to all of us and we are committed to working with close partnership the new Iraqi Government and countries around the world to defeat it," said Kerry.
The meeting was also attended by Nickolay Mladenov, the head of UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, who called IS a "scourge."
Kerry convened the council to show support for the new Iraqi government in its efforts to combat IS.
Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, stressed that defeating IS was the responsibility of the Iraqi government, but he called for "the support of friendly nations in the air campaign (against IS)."
A few hours before foreign ministers gathered at the UN, French fighter jets struck militant Islamic State group targets in Iraq, becoming the first country to publicly add military muscle to US air strikes.
"Acting for Iraq and against the Islamic State terrorists is a duty for all of us," said Laurent Fabius, French Foreign Minister.
Kerry chaired the meeting a day after Congress approved the Obama administration's plan to help arm and train moderate Syrian rebels fighting IS militants in the Middle East.
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