HIGHMILITARY
Iran Strikes PJAK and KDPI Kurdish Opposition Bases in Iraqi Kurdistan
·Iraqi Kurdistan
Iran launches strikes against Iranian Kurdish opposition group targets — PJAK and KDPI — in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region, after reports that militants were preparing to cross the border into Iran. Preemptive strikes to close the Kurdish ground front before it opens.
Iranian forces launched strikes against Iranian Kurdish opposition group targets in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region on the night of Day 6, targeting bases belonging to the PJAK (Free Life Party of Kurdistan) and KDPI (Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran). The strikes came after reports that Kurdish militant groups were preparing to cross the border from northern Iraq into Iran, opening a potential ground front inside Iranian territory. The Guardian reported earlier in the week, citing a US official, that Washington was ready to provide air support to Kurdish fighters who crossed into Iran. Iran appears to have launched preemptive strikes to disrupt Kurdish mobilisation before any cross-border operation could materialise. The strikes targeted base infrastructure and supply routes rather than population centres. Kurdish regional authorities in Erbil did not immediately comment on the strikes against opposition groups, whose activities have long been a source of tension with Tehran. The attacks on PJAK and KDPI infrastructure represent Iran attempting to close the Kurdish ground front before it can be exploited by US-aligned forces.
Actor responses
Iran will not allow terrorist groups to use Iraqi territory as a staging ground for attacks on Iranian soil. Preemptive action against PJAK and KDPI infrastructure is fully justified.
Iran has the right to strike terrorist bases on foreign soil that threaten its territorial integrity. PJAK and KDPI are designated terrorist organisations operating from Iraqi Kurdistan.
Sources