Iran: US is arming a new group of terrorists in the form of FSA

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is speaking to reporters in New York, after meeting today with politicians including the UK Prime Minister. Heads of state from the two countries have not engaged in direct talks since 1979.

He told reporters at a press conference that the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 fuelled "the bitter phenomenon" of IS.

Rouhani said that if Iran had not taken action to check IS, action it publicly acknowledged earlier today, there is "no doubt" that the group would now hold sway in southern Baghdad.

He slammed the US's tactic of arming Syrian rebels it deems moderate, like the Free Syrian Army - Rouhani warned that such steps would be akin to the arming of "another group of terrorists."

"The Americans themselves announced they want to train another group of terrorists and send it to Syria to fight."