Iran’s Bagheri Phones Iraqi Security Adviser on Kurdistan Border Amid U.S. Interest in Kurdish Forces

Peregraf — Iraq has strengthened its border in the Kurdistan Region as tensions rise over the presence of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, according to the Media Office of the Iraqi National Security Adviser. On Wednesday, National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji received a phone call from Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, to discuss regional security concerns.

The call, the office said, focused on border security along the Kurdistan Region, where Iranian Kurdish forces maintain a significant presence. Baghdad is taking measures to prevent these groups from crossing into Iran or using Iraqi territory for military operations. The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Interior has deployed Peshmerga forces to reinforce the Erbil border sector and maintain full control over the area, in line with Iraq’s bilateral security agreements with Tehran.

“The Iraqi government is fully committed to preventing any hostile activity originating from our territory,” the Media Office of the National Security Adviser said. It added that Iraq continues its diplomatic engagement with regional and international parties to contain the crisis and halt escalation.

U.S. media reports indicate that Washington is closely monitoring Kurdish-controlled border areas and is exploring support for Iranian Kurdish forces based in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, potentially to encourage uprisings inside Iranian Kurdistan. While Baghdad emphasizes adherence to security agreements and neutrality, the situation underscores the strategic significance of the Kurdistan Region as both Tehran and Washington seek influence across the border.