ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji said Wednesday there is “no danger or threat” facing the Kurdistan Region from Iran, despite continued Iranian strikes on Kurdish opposition groups based in the Region in recent months.
Speaking to Rudaw, Araji said Baghdad had held “detailed discussions with the Iranian side” and sought to reassure residents in the Kurdistan Region amid ongoing tensions between Tehran and Kurdish dissident groups, adding that both sides have "emphasized that there is no danger or threat to the Kurdistan Region and its citizens.”
His remarks came two days after Iraq and Iran’s High Committee for the Implementation of the Security Agreement convened in Baghdad to review implementation of a bilateral security agreement signed in 2023, under which Iraq committed to disarming and relocating Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Region.
Addressing the presence of Iranian Kurdish parties in the Region, Araji said Baghdad was pursuing a diplomatic approach. “We are working to resolve these through appropriate mechanisms and measures that preserve the stability of the region,” he said.
Since the US and Israeli military campaign against Iran that began on February 28, the Kurdistan Region has come under over 800 drone and missile attacks by Iran and its aligned armed groups in Iraq.
Some of these attacks have targeted the Iranian opposition groups as Tehran continues its military activities despite a US-Iran ceasefire reached in early April. On Sunday, Iran launched three missiles at positions of the Komala Toilers of Kurdistan near Khalifan in northeastern Erbil province, according to the group.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) has also said its bases in the Kurdistan Region have come under around 120 drone and missile attacks since the outbreak of the regional war, despite not being involved in the conflict.
Araji also stressed Iraq’s position on sovereignty and regional security, saying the federal government would not permit its territory to be used against neighboring states. “Iraq rejects the use of its land for aggression against any country or party. This is not just a diplomatic stance; it is a constitutional commitment that will not be overlooked," he said.
The adviser added that Iraq sought to avoid being drawn into wider regional confrontations. Iraq does not want to become “an arena for conflict between nations,” he said, “but rather wants to be a center for meeting and communication.”
The Kurdistan Regional Government said in late April that the Region had endured more than 809 attacks since the conflict began, resulting in 20 deaths and 123 injuries, while Kurdish leaders have repeatedly criticized Tehran for continuing strikes despite the ceasefire.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment