On the Iraqi border, Iran is stepping up attacks on Kurdish dissident groups

In late June and early July, Iran intensified its military operations against Kurdish dissident groups along the border with Iraq. On July 1st and 2nd, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched attacks on camps belonging to the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PAK) near Erbil in eastern Iraq. These strikes included ballistic missiles and drones, according to reports. Local residents captured footage showing massive fires engulfing the PAK camp during the night. In the span of two days, the IRGC also targeted camps associated with at least two other Kurdish dissident factions located in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. The recent attacks follow several clashes between Iranian forces and armed Kurdish dissidents in areas such as Mahabad, Saravan, and Paveh within Iran's Kurdish regions. According to Tehran, these confrontations took place on June 29th and 30th and resulted in the deaths of five members of the IRGC. Additionally, six individuals affiliated with the Kurdish Democratic Party were killed on July 1st, while four members of another Kurdish group, the PJAK, reportedly died on June 30th. These tensions have emerged alongside the ongoing conflict involving Israel and the United States against Iran, which began on February 28th. Reports suggest that Kurdish groups were initially expected to launch offensives supported by Israeli and American forces, although this plan was later abandoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump. The Kurdish groups have denied receiving weapons from either side. During the initial phase of the war, Israeli fighter jets bombed border posts between Iran and the Iraqi Kurdish region, as well as IRGC and Iranian army bases near the frontier—areas where Kurdish militias are active. At the same time, Iran conducted numerous drone, rocket, and missile attacks against Kurdish militia camps in Iraqi Kurdistan. Kurdish groups claim these attacks caused five fatalities among their ranks, including a 17-year-old boy, whereas Tehran claims dozens of casualties. However, the exact number of victims has not been independently verified by French media outlets. There are four major Kurdish dissident groups in Iran, each functioning both politically and militarily. Two of them, the Komala and the Iranian Kurdish Democratic Party, have historical roots dating back to the 1960s and 1940s respectively. The other two, the PAK established in 2006 and the PJAK formed in 2004, are affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK was previously the most prominent armed Kurdish movement operating in Iraq and Turkey until it declared its own dissolution in May 2025. The PKK is classified as a terrorist organization by the European Union, the United States, and Israel. During the war, attacks were primarily one-sided, with Tehran targeting the Komala and the Iranian Kurdish Democratic Party. After the announcement of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran on June 17th, two Iranian Kurdish militias launched attacks against Iranian military forces, including assassinations of IRGC members and ambushes. Recently, multiple skirmishes have occurred in Iran’s Kurdish regions, particularly between the IRGC, the PJAK, and the forces of the Iranian Kurdish Democratic Party. According to Saman Rasoulpour, a London-based journalist specializing in Iran's Kurdish region, following the war with the United States and Israel, Iran appears to have grown more confident. This confidence might be attributed to the successful conclusion of the conflict and the subsequent ceasefire agreement. As the situation continues to evolve, the actions taken by both sides will likely shape the future dynamics in the region.