ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - In a strong warning to the US military presence in Iraq, the head of the Iranian army claimed on Friday his side has ‘complete and accurate’ information about three American bases in the Kurdistan Region and will retaliate if the US targets Iranian drones, two days after the Islamic republic bombarded the Region’s skies triggering the destruction of a drone by US forces.
“If the Americans take action against the Iranian drones, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond to this hostile action and we reserve the right to confront and take revenge,” armed forces chief of staff Mohammed Bagheri said, accusing the US of cooperating with Iranian-Kurdish opposition forces in the Kurdistan Region and warning the US not to stand in Iran’s path of targeting opposition bases.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday launched around 73 ballistic missiles and dozens of suicide drones towards bases of Kurdish opposition parties in the Kurdistan Region, accusing them of fueling protests in the country.
At least 14 people were killed and 58 injured in the Iranian bombardment, according to statistics from the Kurdish health ministry.
Following the attacks, the US Central Command said its forces had intercepted an Iranian drone launched towards Erbil without causing any casualties.
“At approximately 2:10 PM local time, US forces brought down an Iranian Mojer-6 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle heading in the direction of Erbil as it appeared as a threat to US CENTCOM forces in the area.”
Bagheri strongly warned that should a hostile act that threatens Iran’s national security originate from the American bases, the Iranian military reserves the right to and “will definitely respond to these bases,” referring to US military installations in Erbil, Duhok, and Harir.
“Iran’s friendship with neighboring countries has customs and traditions, and if these customs and traditions are not respected, they should expect a logical and mutual response from us,” Bagheri warned, reiterating that the Iranian military reserves the right to confront any acts it deems hostile.
Operations to continue
The IRGC has vowed to continue targeting the bases of Kurdish opposition and never cease striking “until all bases are dismantled,” launching a military operation against the opposition on Saturday codenamed “the Prophet of God,” a reference to Prophet Mohammed.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), Komala, Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK), and Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) all have forces inside Iranian cities. Iranian authorities have been in a state of panic since the opposition based in the Kurdistan Region called for a general strike across the Kurdish areas of western Iran on September 19, setting off the recent wave of unrest in the country.
Iran’s offenses were triggered by mass protests that engulfed the country following the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa (Zhina) Amini in police custody with the Iranian regime unable to suppress the demonstrations.
On Wednesday, the IRGC publicly accused Kurdish groups of being responsible for the latest wave of protests inside the country.
According to the latest tally posted by the Paris-based Kurdistan Human Rights Network on Friday, at least 19 people have been killed in protests across Iran’s western Kurdish areas (Rojhelat) while thousands of others have been arrested and wounded as Iranian authorities violently crack down on the demonstrations.
The US consulate in Erbil issued a security alert on Thursday advising its nationals to refrain from traveling to Iraq two days after encouraging countries around the globe to support the Iranian people amid the ongoing protests.
