Iran and Iraq Agree to Expel Kurdish Separatists
Iran and Iraq agreed to expel or extradite members of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups operating within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
The governments of Iran and Iraq have reached an agreement to expel or hand over members of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Mohammad Kazem Al-Sadegh, the Iranian Ambassador to Iraq, announced the deal on Tuesday following a Monday meeting in Baghdad between an Iranian delegation, the Iraqi National Security Council, and representatives from the Kurdistan region.
The agreement builds upon a 2023 security pact designed to protect the shared border and neutralize opposition elements. Iranian officials designate these groups as terrorists serving Western and Israeli interests. The move comes as five Kurdish separatist groups, including the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, have formed a political coalition to seek secession from Iran amid a broader regional conflict that began in February.
While the agreement is now in place, some Iraqi security officials had previously expressed reluctance to expel the exiles due to concerns for their lives. The current deal requires the Iraqi National Security Adviser and Iranian delegates to ensure separatist elements are either flushed out of the region or transferred to Iranian custody.
