Speaking at a weekly press conference on Monday, Ali Rabiee lamented the recent developments and unrest in Iraq, saying, “We are concerned about the unrest in neighboring countries.”

“The Iraqi government and nation have a full understanding of how to resolve the problems,” he said, adding that settlement of troubles in Iraq requires “unity” revolving around the religious authorities.

The Iraqi government has given an assurance that there have been no clashes between the security forces and protesters, and that “opportunistic groups” have taken advantage of the unrest to commit crimes, Rabiee stated.

“We call on the people of Iraq to show further self-restraint and seek democratic and legal solutions for addressing their demands.”

“As usual, the Islamic Republic of Iran voices readiness to stand by the Iraqi brothers and sisters and to give them whatever assistance,” Rabiee said, underlining that none of the “fabricated and poisonous propaganda” could ever divide the nations of Iran and Iraq.

In remarks on Sunday, an Iraqi interior ministry spokesman denied claims that the country’s security forces had clashed with demonstrators, adding that an investigation was underway to determine how protesters were shot dead during the recent unrest.

“Malicious hands” were behind targeting protesters and security members alike, Saad Maan has said, noting that protesters had burned 51 public buildings and eight political party headquarters.

Maan further confirmed that 104 people had been killed, including eight security officers, and more than 6,000 wounded in the protests.

The protests in Iraq began last Tuesday, with demonstrators calling for better living conditions. The rallies soon turned into riots as some protesters started vandalizing public properties and attempted to enter the Green Zone in the capital Baghdad, which houses government offices and foreign diplomatic missions.