High-Level Iraqi Delegation in Tehran to Discuss Security Agreement, 1 OCT

High-Level Iraqi Delegation in Tehran to Discuss Security Agreement, 1 OCT

 A high-level security delegation from Iraq, led by the nation’s National Security Advisor, Qasim al-Araji, arrived in Tehran, Iran, recently for discussions on the implementation of a security agreement between the two countries. The delegation included the Minister of Interior of the Kurdistan region, Rebar Ahmed, and other top Iraqi security and government officials. The security agreement, among other aspects, focuses on the disarmament of anti-Tehran Kurdish groups operating out of the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Security Pact Aimed at Disarming Kurdish Opposition Groups

The security pact took center stage in the visit of Iraq’s top security official to the Kurdistan autonomous region. The delegation arrived in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, just a day before the September 19 deadline for finalizing the disarmament agreement. This agreement was signed in Baghdad in March, during a ceremony attended by then Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani and his Iraqi counterpart al-Araji. The aim of this joint security cooperation document is to limit the activities of Iranian Kurdish militants.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which enjoys cordial relations with Tehran, has repeatedly urged neighboring countries and armed Kurdish groups not to use the region’s territory as a battlefield. Tehran has long accused the KRG of providing refuge to opposition groups labeled as terrorist or anti-revolutionary and allowing them to use border areas as launchpads for attacks against Iran.

Iran’s Ultimatum and Iraq’s Response

In July, the Iranian military threatened military action if Iraq failed to meet the disarmament deadline. Iran Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani stated that Tehran would not extend the ultimatum, warning Baghdad of a last-minute decision on the matter. However, Iraq asked for an extension of the deadline, as confirmed by Waad Qado, a member of the Iraqi parliament’s security and defense committee.

Ashtiani stated, “We do not have any extension to the deadline. We will act in due time in accordance with the agreement made with Iraq,” warning Baghdad of a last-minute assessment of the situation before making the final decision. In response, the spokesman for Iraq’s Joint Operations Command announced that government forces had begun to take full control over all border points with neighboring Iran, emphasizing that Baghdad was fully committed to implementing the agreement. Major General Tahsin al Khafaji added, “The step is meant to prevent the use of Iraqi soil to launch an attack on neighboring states, as emphasized in the Iraqi Constitution.”

Implications for the Kurds and Regional Stability

The implementation of the security agreement has significant implications for the Kurdish groups operating in the region and for regional stability. These groups argue that their armed campaign seeks to defend the rights of the Kurds in Iran. In recent weeks, the Iranian regime has intensified attacks against Iranian Kurds sheltering in Iraqi Kurdistan, citing separatist Kurdish groups as instigating conflict in Iranian Kurdish cities by supporting popular protests.

The Kurdish parties, including Komala and the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), generally favor Kurdish autonomy within a federal Iran. On the other hand, Pejak, the Free Life Party of Kurdistan, an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK which originated in Turkey but is also based in northern Iraq, typically advocates for a unified independent Kurdistan bringing together Kurds in Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and Iran.

This recent dialogue between Iraq and Iran is indicative of the ongoing efforts to combat regional instability and the use of territories as battlegrounds for proxy conflicts. It remains to be seen how the implementation of the security agreement will impact the Kurdish groups and the overall stability of the region. With the deadline at hand, and considering the high stakes, the international community will be closely monitoring the developments in the coming days.

https://bnn.network/world/iraq/high-level-iraqi-delegation-in-tehran-to-discuss-security-agreement/