The Government of Iraq has condemned «in the strongest terms» the artillery and drone attacks carried out on Monday by Iran against positions of Kurdish groups in the semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan (north), which resulted in at least one death.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has indicated in a statement published on its website that «this unilateral and hostile stance will not be a factor in achieving solutions leading to stability», amid Tehran’s criticism of Baghdad for the operations of these groups.
«Our preceding position indicates the danger of this blatant entrenchment against Iraq’s sovereignty and the security of its citizens, which poses a continuing threat and will cause confusion and raise tensions in the region,» it warned.
He also assured that he «will take high-level diplomatic measures» and said he «will have no hesitation in preserving and safeguarding Iraq’s sovereignty in a way that enhances the security of its people».
Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein also held a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Hosein Amirabdolahian, in which he conveyed Baghdad’s complaint about the «flagrant violation of its sovereignty».
Husein further stressed «the importance of dialogue in a way that puts an end to this unjustified and hostile escalation», while describing as «dangerous» the continuation of these «unilateral actions» by the Iranian authorities.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard confirmed on Monday new missile and drone strikes against positions of Kurdish groups in Iraqi Kurdistan, after suspending these operations on October 10 after «having destroyed predetermined targets». «The continuation of the strikes will depend on the future behavior of the authorities in the northern Iraqi region,» the Revolutionary Guards said at the time.
Iranian authorities have accused Kurdish opposition groups of whipping up recent protests in the country over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish minority woman who died in custody after being detained in Tehran for allegedly wearing the veil incorrectly. Iran has about seven million Kurds, representing about ten percent of its population. Most live in the Kurdistan region, located in the northwest of the country, along the border with Iraq.
