Peregraf — The Kurdistan Region has ordered tighter security along its borders with Iran after Tehran warned of potential threats emerging from Kurdish territory, according to officials in the regional presidency.
Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region, instructed Peshmerga forces to reinforce border controls and prevent any unauthorized movements that could destabilize the area. The directive was issued on March 4, the same day he held a phone call with Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister.
Dilshad Shahab, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region Presidency, said the order was circulated to all Peshmerga units operating along the region’s borders.
“The instructions were issued to protect the borders and prevent any movement that could cause harm to the Kurdistan Region,” Shahab told the Kurdish broadcaster Rudaw. He said the directive includes a series of military measures designed to strengthen border monitoring and readiness.
The move reflects growing concern among regional authorities that the escalating confrontation between the United States, Israel and Iran could spill over into neighbouring territories.
Diplomatic contacts
The security order coincided with a round of diplomatic calls by Araghchi to Iraqi and Kurdish leaders, in which Tehran warned of potential instability along the frontier with the Kurdistan Region.
According to the Kurdish presidency, Barzani and Araghchi agreed during their conversation on the need to safeguard border security and prevent any actions that could further complicate the situation.
“President Nechirvan Barzani reaffirmed that the Kurdistan Region will not become a party to the conflicts and will remain, as always, a factor of stability,” the presidency said in a statement.
Barzani also expressed support for diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions and protecting civilians in the region from the risks of a wider war.
Iran warns against “third-party” activity
In its own account of the call, Iran’s foreign ministry said Araghchi asked Kurdish authorities to ensure that “no third party exploits the borders between the Kurdistan Region and Iran to create insecurity.”
The Iranian minister held parallel discussions the same day with Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Iraq’s prime minister; Qasim al-Araji, Iraq’s national security adviser; and Bafel Talabani, president of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
Baghdad sought to reassure Tehran during the exchanges. Sudani told Iranian officials that the Iraqi government would not allow its territory to be used as a platform for attacks against the Islamic Republic.
Araji said security coordination between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was ongoing and that additional units had been deployed to support Peshmerga forces along sensitive sections of the frontier.
PUK-affiliated media reported that Talabani also discussed the regional situation with Araghchi, stressing the importance of preventing escalation and seeking peaceful solutions. Iranian officials said Talabani confirmed measures to prevent “subversive acts” in line with bilateral security agreements.
Regional tensions rising
Tehran’s concerns have intensified amid growing speculation that Kurdish opposition groups could seek to exploit the current conflict with Iran.
Iranian Kurdish opposition organisations based in the Kurdistan Region have recently announced closer coordination among themselves, declaring that their objective is “the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.”
At the same time, reports in U.S. media suggested that Donald Trump had discussed possible support for Kurdish groups in Iran in the context of broader pressure on Tehran, although no official confirmation has been issued.
Conflict enters ninth day
The diplomatic activity comes as the confrontation between Iran and its adversaries continues to escalate. It has now been nine days since the start of coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting Iranian military, security and government facilities.
Hundreds of sites across Iran have reportedly been hit, while heavy bombardment has also affected areas of Iranian Kurdistan in recent days.
For the authorities in the Kurdistan Region — which shares a long and mountainous frontier with Iran — the priority has been to avoid being drawn into the widening conflict while ensuring that its territory is not used by any actor to launch attacks across the border.
Officials in Erbil say the reinforced Peshmerga deployment is intended to maintain strict control over the frontier and preserve the region’s stated policy of neutrality amid intensifying regional tensions.