Iran Again Denies Joint Military Operations with Turkey

Following the statement from the Turkish Ministry of Interior regarding joint operations between Iran and Turkey against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abolfazl Shekarchi, the senior spokesman for the Iranian armed forces, denied the joint operations on Wednesday, March 20. This is the second time Iran has denied conducting joint operations with Turkey. The spokesman stated that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic have not engaged in any joint operations with the Turkish army along the border. While the Iranian spokesman rejected the news of joint operations by Turkish forces, Ankara had announced hours earlier that the two countries had decided to continue joint operations. According to Reuters, the Turkish Ministry of Interior issued a statement indicating that commanders from both countries agreed via telephone to continue joint operations against the PKK 'for a period of time.' Based on this statement, Qassem Rezaei, the commander of Iran's border guards, spoke with General Arif Cetin, the commander of the Turkish gendarmerie. The statement also mentioned that the deputy ministers of interior from both Iran and Turkey discussed joint operations against the PKK. Meanwhile, on Monday, an informed source in the General Staff of the Armed Forces denied the Turkish Interior Minister's statements regarding joint operations between the two countries. The Turkish Interior Minister stated that Turkey aims to 'root out' the PKK with the cooperation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In response to these remarks, an 'informed source' in the General Staff stated: 'The Turkish army has launched operations this morning along its eastern borders against the PKK group, and the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are not involved in this operation.' Iran and Turkey announced on March 6 that they would closely cooperate to confront the PKK. Earlier this month, the Turkish Foreign Minister stated that Turkey must maintain continuous cooperation with Iran in the fight against the 'illegal' PKK. According to the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, Mevlut Cavusoglu mentioned in a television interview on July 1: 'The PKK and Iran are currently in a phase of reduced conflict. Tehran knows that this group is now secretly present in Iranian territory. However, this group could target Iran at any moment.' The Turkish army has been conducting operations in Iraq against the PKK since last winter. Turkey has established 11 bases in the region, and its forces have advanced up to 30 kilometers into the Kirkuk area, located northeast of the Qandil Mountains. Reports indicate that PKK forces have many hideouts in the foothills of Qandil, along the Iraq-Iran border. Iran has not supported Turkey's operations so far and has not agreed to participate in any potential joint operations with Turkey against the PKK in Iraq.