Jafari Describes Missile Attacks on the Kurdistan Democratic Party Headquarters as a 'Message to Superpowers'

The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran referred to the recent missile attack by this military body on the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party as a 'meaningful message' to 'superpowers' and 'enemies.' Mohammad Ali Jafari stated on Thursday, September 13, 'The recent revenge of the IRGC against terrorists carries a very significant message for enemies, especially superpowers that think they can impose their wicked goals and bullying on us.' On September 8, the IRGC targeted the Kurdistan Democratic Party's headquarters in Iraq, resulting in reports of 14 deaths and at least 40 injuries. Several members of the central committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Party were among the dead, including Kermani Mahdavi, Ibrahim Ibrahim, Nasrin Hadad, Rahman Pirouti, and Soheila Ghaderi. The IRGC commander noted that this attack was 'revenge for the blood' of those killed in a recent assault on a Basij base in Marivan. In late July of this year, an attack on the Basij base in the village of Dari in Marivan resulted in the deaths of 11 members of the IRGC and Basij forces. According to Kurdish media reports, the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) claimed responsibility for that attack. Jafari stated, 'The IRGC, through intelligence work and the use of precise missile equipment, was able to avenge the blood of the innocent martyrs who were killed at the base in Marivan and the other martyrs in the Kurdistan region.' He added, 'This capability sends a very decisive message to all enemies, and those who have forces, bases, and equipment within a radius of two thousand kilometers of the sacred soil of Iran must know that all IRGC missiles are highly accurate.' Jafari's remarks seem to reference Israel and U.S. military bases in the region, as he had previously made similar threats in July of last year. At that time, in response to reports regarding the U.S. plan to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, he stated, 'If the IRGC is sanctioned by Washington, the U.S. must withdraw its regional bases to a depth of one thousand kilometers from Iran.' Hussein Aryan, a military expert, mentioned that the most important U.S. bases in the region include Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar (the air branch of CENTCOM responsible for conducting air operations against ISIS), Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, the CENTCOM headquarters, the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, and Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti (Africa Command). In a statement following the attack on the Kurdistan Democratic Party's headquarters, the IRGC announced that it targeted a meeting of the group's leaders and its affiliated training center with seven short-range ground-to-ground missiles. Iraq considered this attack a violation of its national sovereignty.