Three Suspects Arrested in Attack on Kermanshah Officials' Convoy

Iranian media reported on Saturday, citing an 'informed source' in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), that 'three suspects' involved in the attack on the convoy of Kermanshah officials on July 20 have been arrested. Simultaneously, the commander of the IRGC Ground Forces stated that this organization has recently dealt 'heavy blows' to armed opposition groups in western Iran. Several Iranian news agencies, including ISNA, reported on Saturday, August 2, quoting an 'informed source' in the IRGC, whose name was not disclosed, about the arrest of 'three suspects' in the incident involving Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, the representative of Islamabad-e Gharb in the parliament, and Kermanshah officials. This report comes after Mojtaba Maleki, the Kermanshah prosecutor, announced that the attackers had 'set their vehicle on fire and fled to border areas' after the attack. In the attack on July 20, a four-member armed group targeted the vehicle carrying Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, along with several Kermanshah managers, killing Hojjatollah Nikazm, an official of the Kermanshah Veterinary Network, and the vehicle's driver. The group 'Eagles of Freedom of Eastern Kurdistan' claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it was carried out 'in revenge' for the killing of a group of their forces by Islamic Republic agents last year. Western provinces of Iran have witnessed an escalation in clashes between Iranian security forces and the PJAK, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and other armed opposition groups in recent months. In this context, Alireza Madani, the commander of the IRGC in Salmas County in West Azerbaijan Province, stated on July 31 that 'a terrorist team of counter-revolutionary outlaws' was 'destroyed' in this city, and one member of this group was arrested. This IRGC commander did not mention the number of individuals in this group or their identities. The commander of the IRGC Ground Forces also stated on Saturday that their forces recently dealt a 'heavy blow' to 'several teams' of armed opposition groups that had entered Iran from northern Iraq 'with considerable equipment.' Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour also indicated, without providing details, that 'recently, actions by the enemies of the Islamic Republic were taken to equip and consolidate anti-revolutionary groups based in northern Iraq.' Some Iranian officials, including Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran, have accused Saudi Arabian officials of 'activating' the Komala and Democratic parties in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan. Mr. Rezaei had previously accused Saudi officials of having 'meetings' with the Democratic, Komala, and PJAK groups in Erbil, Iraq, without providing details. The website of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan responded to these accusations by stating that this party has 'always denied any connection with Arab countries in the region, especially Saudi Arabia' in its statements. About a month ago, Mohsen Rezaei also accused Saudi Arabia of sending two armed groups into Iran on his Instagram page, but the Saudi consulate in Erbil rejected Mr. Rezaei's statements in a statement, calling them 'false accusations.'