Tehran hints at military action if deadline expires for disarming Kurdish opposition parties

Shafaq News / Tehran has raised the possibility of military action if the deadline given to the Baghdad government to neutralize the weapons of Kurdish Iranian opposition parties expires on September 19.

Abbas Nilforoushan, Deputy Chief of Operations for the Revolutionary Guard, stated in an interview with the Iranian news agency "Tasnim" on September 9, "September 19 is the end of the deadline set for Iraq to disarm armed groups. If they do not fulfill their obligations, we will revert to the previous situation and will be forced to defend the interests of the Iranian people."

A former security official in the Peshmerga disclosed Iranian threats of military operations against Kurdish opposition parties to Iran situated on the border between Kurdistan (KRI) and Iran.

Jabbar Yawar, a retired lieutenant general and military expert with the Peshmerga, told Shafaq News Agency that "an undisclosed agreement was reached last year between security officials from the federal government and KRI to relocate and evacuate armed Kurdish opposition parties and factions to Iran from the border strip between Iran and KRI and some areas of the region."

Yawar explained that "the agreement stipulates the relocation of opposition parties and armed organizations at least 100 kilometers away from the Iranian border and the disarmament of these groups by a deadline that ends on September 19.

Otherwise, the Iranian side has hinted at military options to strike the opposing parties and factions."

The former Kurdish Peshmerga official noted that "Kurdish opposition parties to Iran have been present in KRI, spanning 700 kilometers along the border strip since 1986."

He pointed out that "the Iraqi side and the regional government (KRG) have not taken any steps regarding these parties and armed movements so far, nor have they implemented the agreement's provisions, which include evacuating them to camps away from the Iranian border. This raises concerns of potential Iranian military actions in KRI, according to Iranian military officials."

The military expert listed the locations where Kurdish opposition parties to Iran are present, including Erbil, al-Sulaymaniyah, and Altun Kupri, within the political party headquarters and various military wings, with prominent parties being the Democratic Parties, Free Life Party, Komala, and Azadi.

In addition, the media officer for the Iranian Kurdistan Workers' Party, Navid Mehravand, stated on Tuesday that Iran continues its threats and attacks on Kurdish parties.

He said, "With the aim of downplaying the significance of the uprising of Kurdish women, which coincides with the anniversary of the Kurdistan women's uprising, where Kurdish women are preparing to commemorate this event through democratic protests, the Iranian side is attempting to suppress the uprising once again."

He added, "The state and Iranian leaders continue their threats and declaration of war against Kurdish parties and, in the coming days, will attempt military operations against opposition parties to its policies, according to Iranian military officials."

Mehravand also mentioned that "numerous media outlets have reported statements from Iranian officials that suggest the evacuation of Iranian Kurdish parties in KRI and the removal of their weapons. However, we have not received any official notification from any party regarding these intentions. If we are informed of these intentions, we will respond accordingly."

It is noteworthy that reports in Kurdish, Arabic, and Iranian media outlets have circulated news regarding Iran's intention to pressure certain parties to evacuate Iranian Kurdish opposition parties and disarm them, coinciding with the first anniversary of the Kurdish women's uprising.

The same sources reported that Bafel Talabani arrived in Tehran late on Sunday with prominent Iraqi Kurdish leaders to hold important meetings with Iranian officials concerning the Iranian Kurdish opposition on the borders within the Region.

Furthermore, the commander of operations for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Abbas Nilforoushan, threatened KRI on the previous Saturday, stating that they would return to the previous situation unless they fulfill their commitments according to the recent agreement between Baghdad, Tehran, and Erbil.

Nilforoushan stated, "The end of the implementation of our agreement with Iraq is on September 19th of this year. If they do not fulfill their commitments, we will return to the previous situation, and we will have to defend the interests of the Iranian people."

He added, "We are committed to the content of the agreement, neither more nor less. Just as Tehran has fulfilled its commitments, it expects the other party to do the same."

On the other hand, Qasim Al-Araji, the National Security Adviser of Iraq, confirmed last Thursday that his country is making "significant efforts" to implement the security agreement with Iran related to dismantling the Iranian Kurdish opposition groups located on the Iraqi-Iranian border within KRI.

Nasser Kanani, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, had stated on the 28th of last month that an agreement had been reached between Iran and Iraq. It stipulates that the Iraqi government will disarm the armed terrorist groups on Iraqi soil and in tKRI, referring to the armed Kurdish Iranian opposition present there.

Kanani added that Iraq had also committed to evacuate military headquarters used by these groups and relocate them to camps designated by the Iraqi government.