Iran summons Iraq envoy over separatist groups’ invite to official ceremony

The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the Iraqi ambassador to “officially protest” the presence of Iranian “separatist groups” at an official ceremony held in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region, AFP reported yesterday, quoting Iranian media outlets.

Iran’s ISNA news agency quoted the Iranian Foreign Ministry as saying that during the meeting held on Saturday, Tehran expressed its “strong objection” to the invitation of members of “separatist groups” to the ceremony, “contrary to the recent security agreement between the Islamic republic and Iraq.”

On Thursday a ceremony was held in the Kurdistan region to inaugurate a cultural centre in tribute to the late Kurdish national hero Mustafa Barzani.

The event was attended by Iraqi President Abdel Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, as well as representatives of Iranian opposition groups.

“Following the invitation of members of separatist groups to an official ceremony in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the continuation of some terrorist groups’ movements in this region, the Iraqi ambassador in Tehran was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday,” ISNA said.

The Iranian foreign ministry said the presence of the “separatist groups” contradicts the security agreement signed last month between the presidents of Iraq and Iran.

Tehran accuses the factions of smuggling weapons from Iraq and encouraging the protests that erupted in Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini.

READ: Tehran FM hopes Iran-Egypt ties will be restored soon