Press TV has conducted an interview with Massoud Shadjareh, head of the Islamic Human Rights Commission from Tehran, about the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants claiming the formation of a so-called Islamic caliphate or state.

What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Mr. Shadjareh, in your perspective, I mean how logical is that in general that a group really that is calling itself Islamic as our guest in Washington says, perhaps as they see deviants of particular religion and they become more extreme on that but it would appear that they would actually be more extreme on those who are totally outside of the realm of what we would call Islam.

We see in general with this group that nothing is said about the Tel Aviv regime but as he has said – our guest in Washington – continually attacking not only other Muslims but also Christians?

Shadjareh: Well this phenomenon really became into sort of international arena when we saw the resistance in Iraq, insurgency in Iraq against American government at the beginning was very effective and it was targeting American occupation. 

But through sort of influence from Saudi Arabia we saw that insurgency in Iraq turned and became a power of sectarianism and turning its guns against fellow Muslims and in reality sort of changed the whole shape of insurgency which was very beneficial for United States and indeed for their allies Saudi Arabia and now we see the same thing. 

Read the full orignal piece and watch the interview published on Press TV on 30th June 2014