Iran pursues opposition by bombing Iraqi Kurdistan
Tehran is expanding its influence in Iraq, taking a tougher stance against its exiled Kurdish opposition in Iraqi Kurdistan.
SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq — Iran not only bombed its Kurdish opposition in Iraq earlier this month, it demanded the "terrorists" be handed over, and threatened more attacks in Iraq to eliminate them.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) approved the Sept. 8 bombing of the offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in Iran (KDPI) in the Iraqi city of Koy Sanjaq near the Iran border. Considered a terrorist organization by Iran, KDPI operates largely out of neighboring Iraqi Kurdistan.
The missile attack killed at least 12 party members and wounded about 30 others.
Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said the attack was justified. “Targeting the [KDPI] headquarters was a forced option in response to the attacks of the armed party and the killing of Iranian border guards a few weeks ago," he said during a Sept. 10 press conference.
