Iraqi Foreign Minister reiterates commitment to security agreement with Iran in high-level talks

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein reaffirmed Iraq’s unwavering commitment to the security agreement established with Iran. The announcement came during a pivotal meeting between Hussein and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, where they explored avenues to enhance bilateral cooperation between their neighboring nations.

This development was officially communicated by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

Central to their discussions was the implementation of the security accord and the critical disarmament of armed factions situated along the Kurdistan region of Iraq’s border with Iran. Additionally, the two leaders delved into the prevailing political and security dynamics within the region and the collective role of regional nations in resolving crises and addressing emerging challenges.

During a joint press conference held in conjunction with his Iranian counterpart earlier in the week, Minister Hussein revealed significant progress in the disarmament efforts along the Iraqi-Iranian border. He announced, “We are steadily advancing toward the shared objectives outlined in our bilateral plan. The groups positioned along the Iraq-Iran border have been successfully disarmed, and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)-supervised refugee camps have been established.”

Iran had previously launched multiple airstrikes against Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, alleging their involvement in protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, after she was detained by Iranian morality police.

Although a security agreement was reached between the two countries last March, Tehran had set a deadline of September 19 for Iraq to disarm Iranian Kurdish opposition groups and relocate them to designated camps.

Addressing the prolonged presence of these groups in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Minister Hussein noted during a joint press conference with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, “These groups have resided in the Kurdistan region of Iraq for four to five decades.” He added that they had been relocated from border areas with Iran to remote camps within Kurdistan.

In recent months, senior Iranian officials have repeatedly urged Iraq to fulfill its obligations concerning Iranian opposition groups. However, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has not yet issued an official statement regarding these developments.

In late August, Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, emphasized that the deadline for disarmament and relocation of opposition groups along the Iraqi-Iranian border would not be extended.