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On July 21, 2020, Zagros TV (Iraqi Kurdistan) aired a heated debate about Iranian involvement in Iraq. Iraqi journalist and researcher Ghaleb Shabandar said that Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey all consider parts of Iraq to be their lebensraum, and he said that Iran's arrogance and sense of superiority has prevented it from turning Iraq into paradise on Earth. Iraqi Sunni opposition activist Mustafa Al-Dulaimi said that "from 1979 and to this day, Iran has been giving us a headache" with its statements and slogans about Israel and the liberation of Palestine, adding that these are all "empty words" meant to "recruit poor youngsters." Al-Dulaimi also said: "Israel is going to liberate Tehran before you liberate [Palestine]." He compared its methods of recruiting young people to the methods used by ISIS, and he added: "Leave us alone... Go liberate [Palestine]." Former Iranian diplomat Amir Mousavi responded to Al-Dulaimi, saying that the Sunni opposition is an obstacle preventing Iran from liberating Palestine. He then claimed that Israel invented ISIS, the Ba'ath Party, the Sunni opposition in Iraq, and other "obedient servants" in order to ensure its security.
Ghaleb Shabandar: "Iran interferes with Iraq's affairs and it is in its best interest to establish economic relations with it. If not for the Iraqi market – practically the only market to receive Iranian goods – Iran's situation would be dire now. As for the claim that you stood by our side against ISIS – had ISIS overcome Iraq, it would have known how to move on to Iran, especially since 75% of Ahvaz Province have become Wahhabi, and since Baluchistan and other areas are filled with sleeper cells. Iraq is a targeted country. Everybody targets Iraqi land.
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"Iraq is a targeted country. We should acknowledge this. Iran considers the center and south of Iraq to be its lebensraum, Saudi Arabia considers Al-Anbar Province to be its lebensraum, and Turkey considers the north to be its lebensraum. By God, Iran could have turned this region into paradise on Earth. There could have been a great Shiite Crescent, but [Iran's] arrogance and sense of superiority [prevented this].'
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Sheikh Mustafa Al-Dulaimi: "All I care about is my country. Iran can go and take away its evil. I don't care about it. I care about my country..."
Shabandar: "What about Saudi Arabia?"
Al-Dulaimi: "From 1979 and to this day, Iran has been giving us a headache about Israel, the Al-Quds Army [sic], and about how they are going to liberate... Israel is going to liberate Tehran before you liberate [Palestine]."
Amir Mousavi: "This is what you dream about..."
Al-Dulaimi: "Go liberate Palestine! Leave us alone for a while. Enough. Your nonsense is not working anymore. Everything is clear now for everyone to see. It has become clear that Iran was talking in slogans – only empty words without [any intention] to implement them – in order to recruit poor youngsters. Iran does not differ from ISIS in its methods for recruiting youngsters.
[...]
"If you want to liberate Palestine, go liberate it and leave us alone. I dare you..."
Mousavi: "You stand in our way... You are obstacles blocking the way to the liberation of Palestine. Israel invented you for the purpose of safeguarding its security. Israel invented you, ISIS, the Ba'ath Party, and other obedient [servants] in order to ensure its security. You are an obstacle blocking the path to the liberation of Palestine."
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