Tehran, Iran – Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced it had carried out operations targeting sites it said belonged to armed “separatist” groups in northern Iraq.
It asserted that the strikes were part of what it described as countering security threats against Iranian territory.
Accusations against opposition groups
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that its forces carried out precise operations
targeting the positions and headquarters of opposition groups operating from northern Iraq.
The IRGC indicated that these groups are accused of planning and executing activities that threaten security and stability within Iran.
The statement emphasized that the operation followed monitoring and tracking of these groups’ movements.
It added that Iranian forces will continue to take necessary measures to counter any threats targeting the security of the country and its citizens.
For years, Iranian authorities have accused several Kurdish opposition groups based
in Iraqi Kurdistan of carrying out armed operations and infiltrating across the border.
Consequently, these operations have prompted Tehran to conduct repeated strikes against sites it claims belong to these organizations.
Iran maintains that these groups pose a direct threat to its national security.
Meanwhile, Baghdad and Erbil are calling for respect for Iraqi sovereignty and the avoidance of any military escalation within Iraqi territory.
Security tensions and regional repercussions
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announcement comes amid ongoing security tensions along the border between Iran and Iraq.
These areas have witnessed intermittent military operations
and exchanges of fire linked to the activities of armed groups and opposition factions.
The Iraqi and Iranian governments are seeking to strengthen joint security coordination to control the border.
They also aim to prevent the use of Iraqi territory as a launching pad for any operations targeting neighboring countries,
in accordance with the security agreements signed between the two nations.
The recent strikes are expected to provoke political and security repercussions in Iraq,
particularly given the sensitivity surrounding cross-border military operations.
This escalation raises concerns about stability and security in the border regions.
The issue of Kurdish armed groups remains one of the most prominent outstanding security concerns between Tehran and Baghdad.
Nevertheless, efforts are ongoing to contain the tension and prevent the border areas from becoming a new flashpoint in the region.
