Shafaq News– Baghdad/ Tehran
Iraq and Iran reaffirmed the need to strengthen border control and enhance cooperation to prevent any infiltration attempts by terrorist groups across the border, Iraq’s National Security Adviser Qassim Al-Araji said on Tuesday.
In a post on X, Al-Araji said he received a phone call from his counterpart Ali Larijani during which they reviewed recent regional developments.
The contact came amid escalating protests in Iran over the past two weeks and a broader rise in regional tensions, while the United States signaled preparations for a potential military strike, which President Donald Trump said would aim to “protect civilians.”
Read more: US strike on Iran possible as protest deaths surge
Earlier, Iran accused opposition groups of entering its territory through the Iraqi border, and the Iranian semi-official news agency Tasnim on January 8 reported that armed groups operating from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have crossed the border and established a presence in western and northwestern Iran. An Iranian Kurdish opposition leader rejected these allegations, saying that the claims are an attempt to shift blame for unrest driven by economic pressure.
About Kurdish Iranian Opposition
The Iranian Kurdish opposition comprises various political and armed movements advocating for Kurdish rights, many of which have been based in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Below is a summary of the key groups:
• Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI): Founded in 1945, led by Mustafa Hijri
• Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan: Founded in 1969, led by Abdullah Mohtadi
• Khabat (Organization of Iranian Kurdistan Struggle): Founded in 1980, led by Babashekh Hosseini
• Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK): Founded in 1991, led by Hussein Yazdanpanah
• Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK): Founded in 2004, led by Siamand Moeini and Zilan Vejin