Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blames the U.S. and 'wicked' British for creating the Islamic State group which has seized control of a swathe of Iraq and Syria Iran's supreme leader has blamed the U.S. and 'wicked' British for creating the Islamic State terror group which has seized control of a swathe of Iraq and Syria. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's sharp remarks, in his first speech since prostate surgery last month, were a reminder of Iranian suspicions of the west despite the rise of a common foe. 'America, Zionism, and especially the veteran expert of spreading divisions, the wicked government of Britain, have sharply increased their efforts of creating divisions between the Sunnis and Shi'ites,' he said.
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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says Isis is part of a divide and conquer strategy
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The U.S. helped to train and arm rebels in Syria fighting Bashar Assad
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The group now known as Islamic State emerged from that rebel movement
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Despite being adversaries for decades, Shi'ite power Iran and the @placeholder both oppose the militants and have armed local groups fighting them.
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The U.S. along with several @placeholder monarchies began a campaign of air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria on September 23.
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@placeholder decided in June this year to reopen the facility, but the embassy has yet to open its doors.