Iran says the international community must remain vigilant as extremist and terrorist ideologies are still alive and may try to revive the Daesh terrorist group, which was officially defeated three years ago.

In December 2017, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared final victory over Daesh after Iraqi forces drove its last remnants from the country, three years after the terrorist group captured about a third of Iraq’s territory.

On the third anniversary of the announcement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh released a statement on Friday to warn about the resurgence of such Takfiri terrorist groups.

He said although the military force of Daesh has been defeated, the Takfiri, anti-human, and terrorist thoughts and the overt and covert regional and extra-regional supports for the group continue.

“It is necessary for the international community to remain vigilant in the face of the ideological spread and resurgence of that current,” the Iranian spokesman said.

He further offered congratulations to the Iraqi government and nation on the anniversary of their victory over the terrorist group, and hailed the victory as a result of the firm resolve and integrated fortitude of the Iraqi government and nation as well as all military and security forces of Iraq.

Khatibzadeh noted that the triumph over terrorism has been inspired by the Iraqi religious authority, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

The spokesman highlighted Iran’s support for Iraq in its fight against the Daesh terrorists, and said, “The Iranian government and nation has always stood by the Iraqi government and nation and will spare no effort to contribute to Iraq’s solidarity, security, stability, establishment, development, and prosperity.”

He also lauded the sacrifices that Iranian and Iraqi martyrs made in the “holy fight” against terrorism, saying, “The collaboration and rapport between the two governments reached their climax after the assassination of martyr Qassem Soleimani and martyr Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, known as the commanders of the fight against terrorism and extremism.”

Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani was assassinated in early January 2020 in a US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport upon the direct order of US President Donald Trump.

Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) anti-terror group, along with several others were martyred in the terrorist attack.