Erbil Stresses it Does Not Want to Get Involved in Conflict with Tehran

A prominent Kurdish security official denied on Monday the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps’ (IRGC) repeated claims that the Iraqi Kurdistan Region had allowed American weapons shipments to the Iranian Kurdish opposition. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, the official described the claims as “inaccurate,” adding that “Kurdish authorities in the region do not allow arms shipments or the delivery of any other illicit goods to Iran because that would primarily harm its security and because Kurdistan does not want to become embroiled in a conflict with Iran.” Such a conflict may have “dangerous” repercussions, he warned. Kurdistan “will not become a party to any regional war.” At the same time, the official did not rule out the possibility that arms trade groups were carrying out smuggling operations without the knowledge of the authorities. Kurdish authorities had repeatedly denied over the recent months that weapons were being smuggled to Iran through its territories. Reports had said that Washington was smuggling weapons into Iran and US President Donald Trump had hinted at support to the opposition in Iran. The IRGC announced on Monday the thwarting for a “large” American arms smuggling operation from Kurdistan to Iran. Trump had previously accused a Kurdish party of failing to deliver American weapons that were to be sent to Iranian protesters, expressing his “disappointment” in them. Washington had “sent some guns with ammunition, and it was supposed to be delivered, but they kept it,” he revealed without disclosing which Kurdish party he was referring to. Kurdish authorities refuted Trump’s claims. Excuse to strike Kurdistan Kifah Mahmoud, media advisor to Kurdistan Democratic Party president Masoud Barzani, strongly denied Iran and the US’ claims about the weapons smuggling. He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the claims are being used by Iran as an excuse to carry out almost daily strikes against Kurdish cities or Iranian opposition camps. He accused Tehran and its allied armed factions of launching the attacks. He denied that the Iranian opposition in Kurdistan was carrying out any “hostile” activities against Tehran, explaining that their camps are supervised by the United Nations. Kurdish authorities also oppose any hostile acts against Iran being carried out from its territories, he stressed. Similar to the Kurdish official, he did not deny that arms smuggling operations were taking place between Iran and Iraq. Furthermore, Kurdistan itself suffers from drugs smuggling operations, which the official authorities have constantly strived to counter, Mahmoud added. He also dismissed Trump’s claims about the stolen weapons shipment, saying all Kurdish parties have rejected them.