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© AHMED SAAD | REUTERSIraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (left) shakes hands with military officials, next to Iraq's Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi during the Iraqi Army Day anniversary celebration, in Baghdad Jan. 6, 2015. Al-Abadi laid a wreath on the Unknown Soldiers Monument at Baghdad's fortified Green Zone to celebrate Iraq army day.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday it would consider any request from the Iraqi government to conduct airstrikes against Islamic State inside Iraq, but said it had not yet received such an appeal, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

It cited the foreign ministry as saying it would evaluate the "political and military" logic of such a move if a request was forthcoming.

In an interview on France24 on Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said he would welcome Russian airstrikes against Islamic State in his country and had been receiving information from both Syria and Russia on the militant group.

"Not yet," Abadai told France24 television when asked if he had discussed with Russia airstrikes in his country. "It is a possibility. If we get the offer we will consider it and I would welcome it."

He said Baghdad had also been receiving "massive information" from Syria on Islamic State and also from Russia.

This comes a day after Russia began an aggresive airstrike campaign in Syria.