Iran, Iraq, Syria, Russia hold 'anti-terrorism' meet

Military and security officials from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Russia held a meeting in Baghdad on Thursday to coordinate "anti-terrorism" efforts, the Iranian defence ministry said.

"Cooperation in intelligence between the four countries for common aims and anti-terrorism missions has been successful in restoring stability and security, and it should form the basis for future cooperation," Defence Minister Gen. Amir Hatami said in a statement from the Iraqi capital.

The "coalition" had played an "important role in the defeat" of the Islamic State in both Iraq and Syria, he said.

The meeting came the same day as Iraq said its air force carried out a raid on IS positions in Syria.

An Iraqi military spokesperson told Reuters that the strikes were carried out in coordination with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Iraq's military used F16 jets to cross into Syria and launch the airstrikes.

IS swept across large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, declaring a cross-border "caliphate" in areas they controlled.

Abadi declared final victory over the ultra hard-line group in December but it still poses a threat from pockets along the border with Syria and has continued to carry out ambushes, assassinations and bombings across Iraq.

Iraq currently has good relations with Iran and Russia, Assad's main backers in the seven-year Syrian civil war, while also enjoying strong support from the US-led coalition.

Tehran supports the Iraqi government and the Russian-backed regime in Syria in fighting rebel groups and militants by sending "military advisers" and "volunteers" from Iran and Afghanistan.