Iraq agrees to expel or hand over Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in Kurdistan

Iran's ambassador to Baghdad, Mohammad Al Sadegh, reported that Iraq has agreed to either expel Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan region or hand them over to Tehran, a decision reached at a joint security committee meeting. The Iraqi side, headed by National Security Adviser Qasim Al Aboudi, was accompanied by officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government. Neither the Iraqi government nor the Kurdistan authorities issued an immediate comment.

The move aligns with a security agreement signed in March 2023, which required Iraq to disarm these groups and move them away from the Iran border, with plans for refugee processing by the UN agency. Tehran labels the groups, including the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran and Komala, as terrorist organizations, while the Kurdistan leadership has warned against forced returns. Implementation of the pact has been uneven, with Tehran continuing strikes on camps in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah provinces.