Tehran demands that Baghdad hand over Iranian refugees under the pretext of the opposition

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[size=52]Tehran demands that Baghdad hand over Iranian refugees under the pretext of the opposition[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad/ Tamim Al-Hassan[/size]
[size=45]Two weeks ago, Baghdad announced the implementation of the security agreement with Iran to dismantle the Iranian Kurdish opposition camps and remove them from the border. But Iran, on the other hand, is not yet satisfied with the pace of implementation of the agreement on the Iraqi side and demands more.[/size]
[size=45]The Islamic Republic believes that Baghdad is “procrastinating” in handing over some of those wanted from those parties to Tehran despite their classification as refugees.[/size]
[size=45]There is also conflicting information about withdrawing weapons from the Kurdish opposition, and requesting their complete expulsion from Iraqi territory.[/size]
[size=45]Iran was on the verge of launching a massive ground attack inside Iraq last September, before Baghdad announced the implementation of steps to weaken the Kurdish opposition.[/size]
[size=45]Last year, Tehran bombed more than once the sites of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in Iraqi territory. Tehran accuses these groups of participating in the protest movement that shook Iran following the death of Iranian Kurdish Mahsa Amini in 2022, after she was arrested by the morality police.[/size]
[size=45]Tehran fears that the level of interference by opposition parties that have been present in Iraq for more than 40 years will escalate, as happened recently in the Turkish capital, Ankara.[/size]
[size=45]Turkey has also been trying for years to extract recognition from Iraq that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which opposes Ankara and is present in the border areas, is a “terrorist organization.” The day before yesterday, Turkey carried out raids on the sites of opposition groups in Iraq following a suicide attack launched by gunmen last Sunday, on a government complex in the center of the capital, Ankara.[/size]
[size=45]Those close to the Workers' Party, known as the PKK, claimed the latter's responsibility for the first attack of its kind in Turkey since 2016.[/size]
[size=45]It was expected that following the Iraqi-Iranian agreement, it would be replicated with Turkey regarding the removal of the Labor Party from the border strip.[/size]
[size=45]But Tehran, which is pressuring Iraq to obtain greater gains in the Kurdish opposition issue, had a role in preventing an understanding with Turkey.[/size]
[size=45]Political parties in Iraq doubt the “Iranian scenario” of holding Kurdish parties responsible for the protests in Tehran.[/size]
[size=45]She believes that what is happening is part of the “pressure” that Tehran is exerting on Baghdad because of the nuclear file.[/size]
[size=45]Yesterday, National Security Advisor Qasim Al-Araji confirmed Baghdad’s commitment to “implementing the agreement” during his visit to Tehran, which is the second visit by a senior Iraqi official to Iran since the agreement came into effect.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Araji said during his meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, that “Iraq is continuing to implement all provisions of the joint security agreement with Iran.”[/size]
[size=45]The National Security Advisor added: “The results achieved after the security agreement have not been achieved since 1991.” Al-Araji called on the Iranian side, according to a statement issued by the former’s office, “to inform the Iranian officials of the Iraqi side if any developments arise, so that the necessary measures can be taken.”[/size]
[size=45]But Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that “according to our estimates, (Iraq) has implemented parts of the agreement and not implemented other parts of it.”[/size]
[size=45]Last Sunday, joint operations announced the establishment of 12 border points with Iran in implementation of the security agreement. Tehran and Baghdad signed an agreement within a period of 6 months in Baghdad on March 19, at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Muhammad al-Sudani.[/size]
[size=45]Following the agreement, Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein traveled to Tehran on September 13th.[/size]
[size=45]Hussein said during a press conference with his Iranian counterpart that the Kurdish parties based in Kurdistan will be transferred to a refugee “camp” under the supervision of the United Nations.[/size]
[size=45]At the same time, Hussein stressed that “the literature of threats of bombing and military attack” should not be used to resolve issues between the two countries.[/size]
[size=45]The Foreign Minister added: “We need a guarantee from Iran that it will not use the language of attack and violence.”[/size]
[size=45]Four days after this meeting, Kurdish sources announced the completion of the transfer of Kurdish groups opposed to the Iranian regime from areas near the Iranian border in the Kurdistan region.[/size]
[size=45]Informed Shiite sources told Al-Mada that “Iraq has implemented all obligations, but there are some details related to the extradition of wanted persons under Iranian arrest warrants.”[/size]
[size=45]The sources confirmed that the government is committed to international agreements regarding the Kurdish opposition as “refugees” and does not want to harm Iraq’s reputation.[/size]
[size=45]Kurdish parties had indicated that these parties were supervised by the United Nations, while stressing that they (the Iranian opposition) had been committed for years not to interfere in Iranian affairs.[/size]
[size=45]However, Shiite sources indicate that the number of the Iranian opposition in Iraq is “about 20,000 members,” and therefore the process of dismantling the camps will require more time.[/size]
[size=45]The headquarters of these parties are located 40 km from the Iranian border, “and some groups are still present in rugged areas that are difficult for Iraq to discover.”[/size]
[size=45]According to the sources, these groups use “routes not found on maps to move and infiltrate Iran.”[/size]
[size=45]There is still conflicting information about the weapons of these groups, as Shiite sources say that Iraq “has begun gradually withdrawing light and heavy weapons and that work is continuing.”[/size]
[size=45]But Kurdish sources say that most of the opposition parties are “unarmed,” with the exception of a group known as “PJAK,” which Tehran says numbers between 1,000 and 1,200 between Syria and Iraq, and is accused of carrying out attacks inside the Islamic Republic.[/size]
[size=45]It is believed that this faction, according to Kurdish information, has cooperation with Tehran, as it carries out attacks inside Iran to give the latter justification for attacking Kurdistan.[/size]
[size=45]Among the leaks, Tehran “refuses to deport these groups into camps inside Iraq, but rather wants to expel them abroad,” similar to the Mujahideen Khalq, who were transferred to Albania gradually from 2013 to 2016.[/size]
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