Iran has deployed a large number of military personnel and weapons on its borders with the Iraqi Kurdistan region as the deadline for the disarmament of Kurdish militias draws near, Iranian local media reported on Wednesday, September 13.
In March, Iran and Iraq had announced an agreement under which the Iraqi government would disarm the Kurdish groups by September 19.
On Wednesday, during his visit to Iran, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein expressed his country’s complete commitment to the agreement and said that his government “will, under no circumstances, allow any movement or group” to use Iraqi soil for activities that can harm its neighbors.
During his meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Hussein claimed that both Iraq’s central government and the regional administration in Kurdistan are coordinating the ongoing efforts to disarm the anti-Iran forces. He said they will be shifted to UN camps once the disarmament is complete.
Hussein however asked Iran to desist from using the language of violence and threat. The minister’s claims were confirmed by Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Iraqi Kurdish region.
Iran has accused the Kurdistan Regional Government (KGR) of sheltering Kurdish groups exiled from Iran and thus enabling them to launch terrorist operations inside Iranian territory. Iran also claims that some of the Kurdish militias have been collaborating with external forces, such as Israel and the US, to carry out attacks inside Iran.
Iran named groups including the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) and the Kurdish Freedom Party (PAK), among others, who were expelled for indulging in separatism.
Iran has launched several rocket and missile attacks inside Iraqi Kurdistan in recent times allegedly targeting anti-Iranian forces.
