ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK or HDK) of Iran say they are convinced Iran was behind a recent attack on their headquarters in the Kurdistan Region that killed seven people and wounded a number of others.
The group said in a statement on Saturday that based on recent threats made by Iranian military leaders and past assasination of their leaders they are certain that all the fingers point towards Iran for the latest twin bombing.
“To accuse the Islamic Republic of Iran of carrying out this terror attack, the Kurdistan Democratic Party has relied on a number of clues and information,” read the statement. “This regime has carried out tens of terror attacks against political parties and eastern Kurdistan strivers and their families within the Kurdistan Region, claiming hundreds of victims."
The HDK said that recent threats by Iranian military leaders against their party left no doubt as to Iran's involvement's in the attack in Koya that killed five HDK fighters and two security guards.
“Over the past months, Iranian Revolutionary Guards commanders have openly and persistently threatened that they would inflict harm on the democrats and their bases and shelters anywhere if necessary,” the group said.
The twin bombing targeted the HDK offices as members of the group were marking the birth day of Abdulrahman Ghassemlou, a former HDK leader who was assasinated while negotiating with Iranian agents in Vienna in 1989.
The place and timing of the bombing, said HDK, was to ensure it killed as many members of the group as possible in that gathering.
“As they appear to have been unable to bring in the bombs inside the auditorium, they placed the bombs in a nearby place to target the people where they would gather after the ceremonies," read the HDK statement. "Within moments of the attacks we had little doubt about Iran’s involvement behind this terror attack.”
"The [Iranian] Itlaat and revolutionary guards have been trying for a long time to carry out evil and explosions against our party institutions and shelters and against our leaders and party members." HDK said.
In fact, to renew terror plots in the Kurdistan Region against the Democratic Party and other political parties of Rojhalat [eastern Kurdistan], they have rejoined some of their 1990’s [friends] and asked them to help them on this regard.”
The statement continued: “over the past two years, several other terror plots against several other bases and political organizations of Rojhalat have been foiled in the Kurdistan Region and the perpetrators returned to the hug of Iranian espionage agencies.”
At the burial ceremony for those killed in the bombing, HDK leader Khalid Azizi said his party was not going to "respond to the enemy with terrorism,”
“The Islamic Republic of Iran wants to create an atmosphere of instability,” he told reporters at the burial ceremony. “Terrorism is sewn into Iran, but terrorism does not scare the HDK,”
