Iran offered yesterday to consider working with long-time foe Washington if it takes the lead in helping repel terrorists who have seized a swathe of northern Iraq.
The offer came as Iraqi commanders said soldiers had recaptured two towns north of Baghdad, thousands of volunteers answered a call to arms from top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and a US carrier group steamed into Gulf waters.
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki visited the besieged city of Samarra north of the capital Friday to rally troops and pray at the Al-Askari Shiite shrine, a revered site whose 2006 bombing by Al-Qaeda sparked a sectarian conflict that killed tens of thousands.
President Barack Obama said he was “looking at all the options” to halt the offensive that has brought jihadist-led militants within 50 miles (80 kilometres) of Baghdad’s city limits, but ruled out any return of US combat troops.
“We will not be sending US troops back into combat in Iraq, but I have asked my national security team to prepare a range of other options that could help support Iraqi security forces,” he said.
