TEHRAN, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday lauded the victories over the so-called Islamic States (IS) militants in Iraq and Syria, Press TV reported.
Rouhani expressed his gratitude to the armed forces and peoples of Iran, Iraq, Syria as well as Lebanon for their endeavors to set the stage for the ultimate victory over the IS.
The extremist groups "brought nothing but misery, destruction, massacre and barbarism" to the region, he was quoted as saying by Press TV.
He also criticized some "global powers and certain reactionary states in the region" for funding and arming the IS terrorist group.
"We never imagined that the criminals, supported by the West, Americans and the evil Zionist regime (of Israel), would commit such crimes in the 21st century," said the Iranian president.
Rouhani also congratulated Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the "final defeat" of the IS militants in Iraq and Syria.
The remarks by the Iranian president followed the Tuesday announcement by a senior Iranian military general who proclaimed the final defeat of the IS militants in the neighboring states in region.
In a congratulatory message to Khamenei on Tuesday, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), hailed the "great victory" over the IS.
The ultimate victory was achieved thanks to the prudent leadership of Khamenei and the sacrifices of all resistance fighters in Iraq and Syria, Soleimani said.
