IRGC Reports Destruction of a 'Terrorist Team' in Kurdistan

The public relations office of the IRGC in the western and northwestern regions of Iran announced in a statement released on the morning of July 2 that it had "destroyed a terrorist team in Kurdistan." The public relations office of the "Hamzeh Seyyed al-Shuhada" headquarters stated that "a terrorist team intending to carry out terrorist actions and create insecurity within the country was identified early this morning (Friday) by the fighters of this headquarters." According to the IRGC, after a confrontation with this group, three of them were killed and one was captured. The statement further mentioned that this "team" was affiliated with the "global arrogance" and that "a number" of weapons and ammunition were also seized from them. No details were provided regarding the exact location of the confrontation, the deceased, or the captured individual, and it is unclear how much and what type of weapons and ammunition were seized by the IRGC forces. The term "global arrogance" is a phrase used by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic and officials close to him to refer to the United States and several other countries. The Hamzeh Seyyed al-Shuhada headquarters operates in the provinces of West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, and Kermanshah, and as stated by the IRGC, it was established "to coordinate domestic defense activities against counter-revolutionary forces and infiltrators in the west and northwest of the country." The IRGC's statement on Friday morning is the latest in a series following the deadly attacks in Tehran and the events that followed. The group known as the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Tehran. The IRGC's statement made no reference to any potential connection between these individuals and the Islamic State group or the attacks in Tehran. A week prior, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported on its Telegram channel about a confrontation at the western borders of Iran, stating that "an ISIS team entered the country from the Somar border on Friday night, but was destroyed by airstrikes from security forces, and four of them were captured." Shortly after, two Iranian officials denied reports of clashes with this group at the western borders of Iran, including in Gilan-e Gharb and Sarpol-e Zahab. Four days earlier, the representative of Urmia in the Islamic Consultative Assembly had reported the "identification" and "arrest of 40 members" of the Islamic State group in West Azerbaijan province. The judiciary of Fars province announced on June 21 that prison sentences had been issued for "six ISIS operatives," and on June 17, the IRGC ground forces reported the "immobilization" of a "terrorist team" in Qasr-e Qand, Sistan and Baluchestan. On June 18, the IRGC announced that it had fired six missiles at Islamic State positions in Deir ez-Zor province in Syria. In this context, the police chief reported the arrest of "a terrorist team" around Tehran. The IRGC announced the destruction of an armed group in Sistan and Baluchestan. A member of parliament stated that 40 ISIS members were arrested in West Azerbaijan province. Sentences were issued for "six ISIS operatives."