Iran urges Iraq to expel opposition ‘terrorists’ from Kurdistan region

Iraq must disarm Iranian Kurd “terrorists” and expel them from the Kurdistan region, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader declared yesterday.

“The increasing movements of terrorist groups in the Iraqi Kurdistan region are a threat to the security of the Iran-Iraq border,” said Ali Shamkhani. He made his comment during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi in Tehran.

The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council added that the measures that were taken under what he described as the “new US National Security doctrine in the region” would not contribute to security and stability. “This will exacerbate the crisis and make regional insecurity worse,” warned Shamkhani.

READ: Iran vows to use ‘deterrent military measures’ against Kurds

Iranian Kurdish opposition groups are reported to have been active in the mountainous areas of the north-west Iran border with Turkey, as well as in the autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq.

On Thursday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that it had fired artillery shells at a number of sites where the Kurdistan Free Life Party forces are stationed. Known as the PJAK, this is one of the most prominent opposition parties facing the Iranian regime.