Airstrikes to resume if Iraq fails to disarm terrorists: Iran’s top general
Iran’s top general has warned that the Islamic Republic will resume its cross-border airstrikes to target anti-Iran terrorist groups in northern Iraq if the central government in Baghdad fails to disarm them by a previously-set deadline.
“Unfortunately, some neighboring countries do not act properly regarding their responsibility towards the border. There are armed separatist groups in northern Iraq that create insecurity on our borders," Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri said on Tuesday.
He noted that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force has carried out “effective” missile and drone strikes against the terrorist groups in the past to safeguard Iran’s security, but halted the operations when the Iraqi government committed to disarming them by September.
Iran’s top general expressed hope that Baghdad will honor its commitment under a security agreement it signed with Tehran in March.
However, he warned that if the terrorists remain armed and active after the deadline, “our operations against these groups will undoubtedly be more intense".
Terrorist groups residing in the Iraqi Kurdistan region increased their malign activities against the Islamic Republic last year, especially in border areas.
The IRGC responded by launching several rounds of airstrikes against their positions and vowed to continue the operations until the groups are unarmed.