Iraq
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (R) and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein hold a joint press conference in Tehran on September 13, 2023. Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Baghdad and Erbil have set up a plan to complete the implementation of the security agreement with Tehran regarding the disarmament of Kurdish exiled groups on the Iraq-Iran border within the next two days, announced Iraq’s foreign minister on Wednesday.
“The [Iraqi] federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government have cooperated to present this plan, commit to it, and implement it. In fact, the plan will be completed in two days. The implementation of the plan will be completed after two days,” Fuad Hussein said during a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran.
The Iraqi top diplomat added that several groups have already been disarmed and that camps are being set up in an undisclosed location for refugees to move into.
Hussein stated that Baghdad and Erbil were “in the process of reaching the final goal of the plan” and invited Iranian media to visit the Kurdistan Region in the next two days “to witness the practical commitment to the security agreement.”
Amir-Abdollahian described the news delivered by Hussein as “positive” and expressed hope that the agreement is “implemented on the ground in the upcoming hours and days."
Hussein stressed that Iraq rejects the use of its territory for attacks against neighboring countries, adding that any threats to the countries of the region harms the region’s security as a whole, but emphasized that Baghdad needs guarantees from Tehran in return for implementing the security pact.
“When we announce, from Tehran, our commitment to the security pact, we also need guarantees from the Iranian side that the language of violence and aggression is not used between our brotherly people and the two neighboring countries,” noted the Iraqi foreign minister.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday said that both Baghdad and Erbil have recently taken steps to meet Iran’s demands for disarming Kurdish exiled groups along the border, adding that this would not leave room for any pretext for an Iranian military operation.
Tehran has long accused the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of harboring opposition groups it considers “terrorists” and allowing them to use the border areas as a launchpad for attacks against Iran.
In March, Iran and Iraq signed a border protection deal, in which Baghdad agreed to a September 19 deadline to disarm the Kurdish opposition groups and secure the border regions. The Iranian military in July threatened to take action if Baghdad fails to meet the deadline.
Iranian-Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region - namely the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), Komala, Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK), and the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) - have been accused of fueling the nationwide protest movement in Iran last year and inciting unrest in the country. The groups, struggling for greater rights for Iran’s marginalized Kurdish population, have fought an on-and-off war with the Islamic Republic.
Iranian armed forces have carried out many attacks on the alleged positions of these groups, including using both ballistic missiles and drones.
The KRG, which has cordial relations with Tehran, has on several occasions called on neighboring countries and armed Kurdish groups to not use the Region’s land as an arena to settle scores.
“The [Iraqi] federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government have cooperated to present this plan, commit to it, and implement it. In fact, the plan will be completed in two days. The implementation of the plan will be completed after two days,” Fuad Hussein said during a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran.
The Iraqi top diplomat added that several groups have already been disarmed and that camps are being set up in an undisclosed location for refugees to move into.
Hussein stated that Baghdad and Erbil were “in the process of reaching the final goal of the plan” and invited Iranian media to visit the Kurdistan Region in the next two days “to witness the practical commitment to the security agreement.”
Amir-Abdollahian described the news delivered by Hussein as “positive” and expressed hope that the agreement is “implemented on the ground in the upcoming hours and days."
Hussein stressed that Iraq rejects the use of its territory for attacks against neighboring countries, adding that any threats to the countries of the region harms the region’s security as a whole, but emphasized that Baghdad needs guarantees from Tehran in return for implementing the security pact.
“When we announce, from Tehran, our commitment to the security pact, we also need guarantees from the Iranian side that the language of violence and aggression is not used between our brotherly people and the two neighboring countries,” noted the Iraqi foreign minister.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday said that both Baghdad and Erbil have recently taken steps to meet Iran’s demands for disarming Kurdish exiled groups along the border, adding that this would not leave room for any pretext for an Iranian military operation.
Tehran has long accused the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of harboring opposition groups it considers “terrorists” and allowing them to use the border areas as a launchpad for attacks against Iran.
In March, Iran and Iraq signed a border protection deal, in which Baghdad agreed to a September 19 deadline to disarm the Kurdish opposition groups and secure the border regions. The Iranian military in July threatened to take action if Baghdad fails to meet the deadline.
Iranian-Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region - namely the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), Komala, Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK), and the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) - have been accused of fueling the nationwide protest movement in Iran last year and inciting unrest in the country. The groups, struggling for greater rights for Iran’s marginalized Kurdish population, have fought an on-and-off war with the Islamic Republic.
Iranian armed forces have carried out many attacks on the alleged positions of these groups, including using both ballistic missiles and drones.
The KRG, which has cordial relations with Tehran, has on several occasions called on neighboring countries and armed Kurdish groups to not use the Region’s land as an arena to settle scores.
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