Kurdistan's Interior Minister: Iran border threat eliminated
Shafaq News/ Iranian Kurdish opposition groups no longer pose a military or security threat along the shared border, Kurdistan Region Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed stated on Wednesday.
Ahmed confirmed to reporters that the joint high committee established by Iran, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region had completed its mandate, emphasizing that bilateral relations have now reached a 'constructive and advanced stage.'
Addressing concerns over Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, he noted that 'appropriate measures' had been taken and 'these forces no longer represent a security or military threat along the shared border.'
In September 2023, the joint high committee overseeing the implementation of the Iraq-Iran security agreement announced the complete evacuation of camps and headquarters belonging to Iranian Kurdish opposition parties in the Kurdistan Region, in preparation for reclassifying them as refugees.
The disarmament deadline under the Iraq-Iran security pact expired on September 19, 2023. Iranian officials had earlier threatened military action against the groups if Baghdad failed to implement the terms.
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:
• Kurdi stan 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 (Or ganization 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
Iran has also launched cross-border strikes targeting their facilities, with operations by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) involving missiles and drones. Tehran has accused these groups of contributing to unrest within its borders.
Earlier, the Kurdistan Regional Government stated that it does not permit any group to use its territory to threaten neighboring states.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
37 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
+21M Iraqis update voter data ahead of elections
Shafaq News/ Over 21 million Iraqi citizens have updated their voter information ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections, Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced on Thursday. According to a document released by the Commission, 21,147,292 Iraqis had updated their biometric data between March 25 and June 4. Baghdad topped the list with nearly 3.5 million updates across its al-Karkh and al-Rusafa districts, followed by Nineveh with more than 2 million. Voter registration and biometric data updates will continue until June 15 in preparation for the November 11 parliamentary elections, with over 29 million Iraqis eligible to vote.
Shafaq News
38 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
Erbil appeals to UN over Baghdad salary freeze
Shafaq News/ Civil society representatives in Erbil submitted a formal letter to the United Nations on Thursday, urging international intervention over Baghdad's suspension of public sector salaries in the Kurdistan Region. The move follows the Iraqi Ministry of Finance's recent decision to withhold the Region's May 2025 salary allocations, citing the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)'s alleged failure to remit oil and non-oil revenues as required under the Federal Budget Law and a Federal Supreme Court ruling. The KRG has condemned the action as 'unconstitutional, unlawful, and a form of collective punishment.' Speaking with Shafaq News, Mahdi Faydhullah, representing the group of civil organizations, described Baghdad's policy as 'inhumane and unconstitutional,' emphasizing that salaries are a legal right. 'We delivered this humanitarian appeal to the UN Mission in Erbil, and next we will submit it to European, American, and British diplomatic missions,' he said. The letter reportedly calls for a clear separation between political disputes and administrative or financial issues, especially as the Eid al-Adha holiday approaches (June 6-9) and many families remain unpaid. In a separate statement, the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry likened the situation to 'a blockade on the Kurdish people,' warning of the deepening economic toll as many citizens in Kurdistan rely on government salaries. The resulting downturn, it added, has alarmed business owners and hindered trade flows from Kurdistan to other Iraqi provinces. 'The federal government's actions not only harm citizens and traders but also obstruct reconstruction efforts led by the KRG's ninth cabinet.'
Shafaq News
38 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
Israel killed 23 Palestinians, including journalists and children
Shafaq News/ Israeli airstrikes on multiple areas of the Gaza Strip early Thursday resulted in the deaths of at least 23 Palestinians, including children and journalists. WAFA News Agency reported that among the fatalities were at least four journalists: Ismail Baddah, Suleiman al-Hajjaj, Ahmad Qalajah, and Samir al-Rifai. Another journalist, Imad Daloul, sustained critical injuries. The journalists were struck by an Israeli drone while covering developments in the courtyard of Al-Ahli Arab (al-Mamadani) Hospital. استشهاد 3 صحفيين وإصابة آخرين بجروح خطيرة بقصفٍ على المستشفى المعمداني — شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) June 5, 2025 The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the incident, describing it as a deliberate attack on media personnel and calling it a violation of international humanitarian law. The organization referred to the strike as a 'massacre' targeting journalists operating in a clearly marked civilian medical zone. According to Gaza's health authorities, the ongoing hostilities that started on October 7, 2023, have resulted in more than 180,000 Palestinian casualties—dead and wounded—many of whom are women and children. Thousands remain missing under the rubble, while widespread displacement and acute food shortages have led to additional civilian deaths, particularly among children.
