Iranian Envoy Rules Out Ground War on KRG-Based Terrorists

In an interview with Al-Alam TV, Mohammad Kazem Al-e Sadeq rejected media reports about Iran’s plans for a ground operation against the armed separatist groups in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

“The issue of ground advance on the Iraqi soil is not true and is basically out of question. We respect the sovereignty of Iraq and have done a lot for stability and territorial unity of Iraq, for its people, and for the prosperity of that country,” the Iranian envoy noted.

Highlighting the close bonds between the Iranian and Iraqi nations, he said it would be impossible to launch a ground operation in Iraq.

On the threats that the terrorists in the Kurdistan Region pose to Iran and its border cities, Al-e Sadeq said Tehran has held extensive talks with the KRG officials, as the Islamic Republic and the KRG have already set up a joint security committee to address the problems.

“We always try to settle the problems through dialogue with our brothers in Iraq. The racist terrorist groups have used the Kurdistan Region territories for setting up bases and training camps since the past, since the victory of the Islamic Revolution (in Iran), and have recruited the Iranian Kurdish youth, including women and men, for their military subversive purposes,” the ambassador added.

He also noted that Iran has provided Iraq with over 70 documents about the bases, training camps, gathering centers and armed units of the terrorist and separatist groups in the Kurdistan Region, adding, “We are in talks with our brothers in the Kurdistan Region. The close and strong relations should not let the separatist elements infiltrate into Iran, kill our security forces and detonate our security centers.”

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force has launched several rounds of military strikes on the positions of separatist groups in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region in the past two months.

The first stage of the attacks began on September 24, after terrorists’ move to ignite riots and unrest along border cities west of Iran.

The move by IRGC Ground Force to hit Iraqi-based Komalah and Democrat terrorist groups came after illegal entry by these groups’ armed teams into the Iranian border cities.

The IRGC has said, “These terrorists - who are backed by the global arrogance and are based in the Iraqi northern region – were forced to flee the country after accepting heavy casualties.”

The IRGC underlined that Iran on many occasions has warned officials of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region about the terrorist groups’ activities in the region but they have failed to pay necessary attention to the warnings and take proper measures to prevent terrorist moves.

It has also described the operations by the Iranian forces as part of efforts to ensure durable security along borders and punish criminal terrorists.