As the fighting intensifies in the Kurdish regions of Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has launched more attacks on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 

An IRGC statement said that early Monday morning an IRGC ground force unit launched missiles and drones into northern Iraq. The statement said that the attack was against “the headquarters and centers of conspiracy, establishment, training and organization of anti-Iranian separatist groups.” 

The IRGC statement said that they were able to inflict “heavy strikes and attacks against the terrorists.” Iran has in recent months regularly launched attacks against Kurdish groups in Iraq. Some of the attacks have been related to current protests; others have been related to the Kurdistan Regional Government’s close relationship with Israel, which Iran has accused of having bases in the area.

The protests and crackdown in the Kurdish city of Mahabad in northwest Iran have intensified. According to an IRGC statement, they sent reinforcements into the northwest city, and reinforcements have been sent to confront separatist groups who are creating insecurity in the region. The statement issues a warning to “armed criminals and mercenary terrorists supported by the global arrogance (the West).”