IRGC: We Have No Plans for Military Operations Outside Iran's Borders

Following reports regarding the possibility of a joint military operation between Iran and Turkey "against Kurdish militant groups," the Hamzeh Ground Force Headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Tuesday, August 22, that it has "no plans" for operations outside Iran's borders. According to Mehr News Agency, the public relations office of the Hamzeh Ground Force emphasized: "We have not planned any operational activities outside the borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran, but as in the past, we will respond severely to any group, team, or individual attempting to infiltrate the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran for anti-security or terrorist activities." Previously, it was reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that Iran and Turkey had discussed conducting joint military operations against Kurdish militant groups during the recent visit of Major General Mohammad Baqeri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, to Ankara. Erdoğan added: "Effective struggle against the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) and its Iranian branch, PJAK, is possible through joint military operations with Iran." Meanwhile, the public relations office of the Hamzeh Ground Force stated: "Despite the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran has no plans for extensive operational actions outside its borders, if any of the terrorist groups that have been hiding in their camps in northern Iraq for years, and have sought to create insecurity in our country with the support of the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran over the past year and this year, attempt to make the slightest move to create insecurity at our borders, they will face our severe and crushing response, and their bases will be targeted wherever they may be." Last week, Mohammad Hossein Baqeri led a three-day military delegation to Turkey, where he met with General Hulusi Akar, his Turkish counterpart, and also met with Erdoğan. The Turkish newspaper Sabah reported that during discussions between the military officials of the two countries, they agreed on joint efforts to combat the illegal crossing of "members of terrorist groups" across the borders of the two countries. In recent years, western provinces of Iran have witnessed clashes between Iranian security forces and armed groups opposed to the Islamic Republic, including the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan and members of the Free Life Party of Kurdistan, known as PJAK. Last year, following clashes in these areas, reports about shelling of border areas between "Iraqi Kurdistan and Iranian Kurdistan" were published, and Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan, expressed his "deep concern" over Iran's actions. After the shelling of these areas, two delegations from Iraqi Kurdistan visited Iran and met with Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and other officials of the Islamic Republic. Officials from the Iraqi Kurdistan region emphasized in their meetings with Iranian officials that they would not allow Kurdish opposition parties to create a security challenge for the Islamic Republic from the territory of Iraqi Kurdistan. These parties are accused by the Islamic Republic of "separatism" and "connections with foreigners." On the other hand, these parties accuse the Islamic Republic of violating the human rights of Kurds in Iran and state that their goal is to pursue the rights of Kurds.