Iran Targets Iraqi Kurdish People Using Missiles, Drones

In an interview published Tuesday in the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, James Cleverly described the sending of armed response units over the weekend as “action to protect people in the UK from what we are perceiving to be threats from Iran because it is incredibly important that people feel able to speak openly and honestly about what is going on in Iran.”

Speaking during an interview Sunday on the sidelines of the Manama conference of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Cleverly said the move showed the British government took “the importance of free, honest and open journalism incredibly seriously.” The Islamic republic has accused foreign-based Persian media outlets, including Iran International and the BBC Persian of fomenting violence and its Judiciary has called for designating them as “terrorist entities.”

‘In Iran’s hands’
Quizzed over the current state of paused talks over reviving Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers, the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), Cleverly said it was “in Iran’s hands” to engage successfully.

“The ball is very much in Iran’s court and has been for a while now,” Cleverly said. “The message I may send to the Iranian leadership is that it is in their hands to take action which would engage better with this process. We put a deal forward, it is a very good deal and the Iranians should engage with that.”

The United Kingdom – alongside France, Germany and the United States – has argued that a series of proposals drawn up by European Union officials earlier this year offer the basis for agreement on how to revive the JCPOA, which the US abandoned in 2018 while imposing draconian sanctions. Tehran has argued it needs ‘guarantees’ to cushion it against any future US withdrawal from the agreement.

Cleverly appeared to concede that the challenge of reaching agreement on JCPOA renewal had been complicated by protests in Iran since mid-September – in which 410 protestors and 54 members of the security forces have died according to one recent toll – and by Tehran’s supply of military drones to Russia.

He defended the UK’s approach of responding to Iran by levying more sanctions, including against the ‘morality police’ and on “companies and individuals responsible for those drone exports to Russia.”

Targeting individuals and entities

Cleverly argued that such sanctions could be effective in changing Iranian behavior: “We want the Iranian leadership to listen to the Iranian people and we will make sure that when members of the Iranian leadership do things which are unacceptable, we target those individuals and those entities very timely with our sanctions to deter them.”

The foreign minister also expressed British resolve over Iran “attempting to destabilize” neighboring states. “For example, British warships have intercepted the missile systems or engines for missile systems coming from Iran and will continue to take action both to prevent that destabilizing activity in the region and also very specifically target with sanctions those individuals who are responsible for that behavior.”

This year capped off a disastrous run for the United Nations Security Council and its mandate for the “maintenance of international peace and security”. The world saw Russia – a permanent member the Council – blatantly violate the UN Charter through its illegal invasion of Ukraine and purported annexation of Ukrainian territory. Now, along with Iran, Russia is deliberately violating the edicts of the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2231, which, among other restrictions, prohibits transfers of weapons and ballistic missiles to and from Iran. The other UN Security Council members must act quickly and decisively to preserve the crumbling credibility of the institution and its resolutions.

Iran has been supercharging Russia’s war efforts by sending hundreds of attack and suicide drones used to hit Ukrainian civilians, military vehicles, and energy infrastructure. The Ukrainian government quietly disclosed that Iranian military trainers were present in Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia. Now, according to reports from US and foreign intelligence services, the Iranian regime is set to deliver surface-to-surface Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar ballistic missiles with ranges up to 700 kilometers. These missiles would help refill Russia’s depleted war machine to kill even more innocent Ukrainian civilians.

The international community must recognize that Iran is now a belligerent in Russia’s war against Ukraine and should be treated diplomatically as a co-combatant with Russia. For starters, European nations could quickly cancel the dozens of incoming flights to their airports from sanctioned Iranian airlines that simultaneously are delivering drones and missiles to Moscow. But the United States and like-minded nations on the Security Council must also respond to Iran and Russia’s blatant violations of UNSCR 2231. A refresher on the resolution:

When the Iran Deal was finalized in 2015, it contained two parts: the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a non-binding political agreement that described various commitments by United States, the European Union, and Iran; and UNSCR 2231 – a legally-binding resolution passed by the UN Security Council that combined and modified the previous six UN Security Council resolutions against Iran. The new, unified resolution enacted strong and permanent restrictions and sanctions against a wide range of Iranian behavior, including an arms and ballistic missile embargo as well as broad sanctions against its nuclear program. The new 2015 resolution kept several of those restrictions, but Iran was rewarded with time-limitations on each sanction – divorced from any assessments of its ongoing behavior or adherence to the UN’s restriction.

In a farcical turn of events, on October 18, 2023 – now less than a year away – Iran will become free from any UN sanctions that prohibit the sale, purchase, or transfer of ballistic missiles or drones – legalizing the destabilizing weapons transfers it is currently sending Russia.

It gets worse. On October 18, 2025, the resolution will self-destruct, ending all UN sanctions on Iran entirely – permitting Iran to legally enrich and reprocess uranium and giving the regime legal cover to advance its nuclear program dangerously close to an enrichment breakout capacity. These pending sunsets are proverbial and literal ticking time bombs.

If the Security Council continues to ignore these weapons transfers in blatant violation of UNSCR 2231, it will reinforce the message that Security Council resolutions are mere paper tigers. Those who believe in the merit of multilateral institutions should be worried too: this puts another dagger in the argument that the peace and stability can be obtained through the United Nations and its pronouncements.

The other members of the UN Security Council must take firm action in response to these violations. First, they should take advantage of the “snapback” procedure in UNSCR 2231 that would permanently return all the UN sanctions set to expire over the coming few years. This would have several practical impacts: it would return the UN’s conventional weapons ban and travel restrictions against Iran’s top terrorists that both expired in October 2020. It would stop the pending expiration next year of the ballistic missile restrictions and the nuclear sunsets in 2025.

Snapback can be initiated by any of the “participants” as defined in UNSCR 2231, which includes the United States, (even while it had ceased participation in the separate JCPOA, it was still listed as a UNSCR 2231 participant), France, Germany, the United Kingdom, European Union, Russia, China, and Iran. The snapback is a 60-day process triggered by a submission by any of these parties that other participants were not meeting their requirements in the JCPOA. Iran started publicly violating its nuclear commitments starting in May 2019 and abrogated them entirely in January 2020.

There is a clear precedent for snapback. In 2020, without the support of other Security Council members, the Trump Administration initiated the snapback mechanism, noting President Barack Obama’s pronouncement in 2015 that, “We won’t need the support of other members of the UN Security Council, America can trigger snap back on our own.”

While it may have passed legal muster in the eyes of the US government, the reality is that other nations ignored the move entirely and refused to recognize the validity of the snapback, citing that the United States had ceased participation in the JCPOA. Paris, London, and Berlin even had the temerity to criticize US efforts to curtail Iranian weapons proliferation around the world. But ultimately the power of the snapback – as of any other UN resolution – is the degree to which other nations view the legitimacy of such acts and adhere to UN pronouncements. Unfortunately, the unilateral nature of the 2020 snapback rendered it ineffective and counterproductive.

As a result of Europe’s refusal to act in the UN, Iran has been emboldened to the point it sends weapons to attack Ukraine. Iran believes they will get away with it, and they may well be right. European credibility and deterrence have been decimated – every subsequent pledge they “will not tolerate” Iranian malfeasance only grows more sadly laughable. If Europe ever wishes to be taken seriously again on the Iran file, they must act now. Paris, London, and Berlin can rectify their errors – and show their support for Ukraine - by initiating the snapback procedure at the UN immediately.

More serious and far more difficult is the prospect of removing Russia from the Security Council altogether. This can only be accomplished by amending the UN Charter, a process that requires both a two-thirds majority vote of the General Assembly and unanimous approval by the UN Security Council – where Russia is already a member. Since Russia would not agree to its own expulsion, this typically ends that conversation, though creative legal solutions have been proposed to bypass their veto.

To its credit, the international community has taken steps, though modest, to isolate Russia diplomatically. Last March, the UN Human Rights Council, led by the United States, expelled Russia, and earlier this month, Russia failed to win re-election to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s national governing council. The international community should build off this momentum and accelerate Russia’s isolation. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organization should immediately take steps to remove Russia from its membership. Russia’s chokehold on Ukrainian ports blocked grain shipments to some of the world’s most food insecure countries. Other organizations Russia should be expelled from include the World Health Organization, for Russia’s targeted attacks on Ukrainian healthcare facilities and the World Trade Organization, of which Russia has already lost its “most favored nation” status. Iran, meanwhile, should be immediately removed from the UN Commission on the Status of Women for reasons that have been made manifestly clear in the past month of nationwide protests against the regime’s violent abuse of women.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who was painfully silent in his criticism of Putin for months, has finally condemned Russia’s war on Ukraine. He should follow this up with action. This should include the removal of all Russian personnel from UN peacekeeping missions and the non-renewal of UN aviation procurement contracts. The international community should be prepared to backfill these gaps to ensure mission readiness doesn’t suffer as a result.

International institutions are only as effective as their members. The Russian and Iranian regimes are intent on undermining every value the United Nations was created to promote. If the United States and Europe will not act now, there may not be much at the UN left to save.

Opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the views of Iran International

In the past few days, the Islamic Republic has intensified its repression on Kurdish-majority cities and towns in western provinces of the country following reports that parts of some small towns have fallen into the people’s hands. The majority of Iran's 10 million Kurds live in the western parts of the country. It has also launched repeated attacks against Iranian Kurds sheltering in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The regime’s security forces – particularly those trained to quell riots – used to be focused in the capital Tehran and larger cities, creating the opportunity for the residents of towns with a population of 10,000 to 200,000 to outnumber the agents of repression. 

Last week, security forces, who seemed to have started losing their foothold in the cities of Izeh in Khuzestan province and Malekshahr in Esfahan province, went on shooting sprees on motorbikes at the protesters, killing at least two young boys in Malekshahr and several others in Izeh, including a 10-year-old kid. The child -- Kian Pirfalak -- immediately became a new icon of the protests. The attacks were so brutal that the Islamic Republic opted not to take responsibility and claimed terrorist has suddenly showed up and fired at both the protesters and security forces. However, the infanticide backfired and fueled more protests in other small cities. 

Then came the predicament in Mahabad, a small Kurdish-majority city in West Azarbaijan province, where residents barricaded streets and moved in tactical formations to take control of the city. The Islamic Republic deployed military vehicles and cracked down on the protesters. The clashes originally erupted in the city on Friday when security forces opened fire at people who had gathered for the funeral services of some protesters killed earlier in the week. Esmail Moloudi was a young protester who was shot dead during ceremonies for the 40th day after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini. Five more protesters were killed in his funeral late in October and ever since the city has been a scene of regular clashes. 

Jalal Mahmoudzadeh, the representative of Mahabad in the parliament, said on Monday that at least 11 people were killed during the past few days, noting that several of those killed were not even among the protesters. 

Following the escalation in Mahabad, other cities across the country and in particular Kurdish cities held protests in solidarity with Mahabad. In addition to Kermanshah, Paveh, Kamyaran and Saqqez – the hometown of Mahsa Amini -- people in the capital Tehran, the religious city of Mashhad, Ardabil, and Orouniyeh (Urmia) as well as Kerman and Esfahan in central Iran poured onto streets to express their support for the protesters in Kurdish cities.

The Islamic Republic also renewed its attacks on Kurdish targets in the Iraqi Kurdistan region on the pretext that separatist Kurdish groups are fanning the flames of conflict in Iranian Kurdish cities by supporting the protesters. 

On Monday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, or IRGC, said it targeted Kurdish military bases in Erbil and Sulaimaniyah, alleging factions there are fomenting unrest in Iran. 

Late on Sunday, the IRGC once again launched missile attacks against the positions of the dissident Iranian Kurdish group, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan in Erbil. At least three missiles hit the party's positions including a civilian hospital, causing casualties. The IRGC also targeted the Komala Party's positions in Iraqi Kurdistan's Sulaymaniyah with drones, the party's secretary general confirmed to Iran International. 

Calling on the Islamic Republic to stop this campaign, the Kurdish regional government said, “The repeated Iranian violations affecting the sovereignty of Iraq and the Kurdistan region of Iraq are unjustified and constitute a flagrant violation of international norms and good neighborly relations.” The Iraqi parliament is set to discuss the growing threats to the Iraqi territory on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Turkey has also stepped up attacks on Kurdish targets in Iraq and Syria, a week after a bombing in Istanbul which it blames on Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, as well as Syrian Kurdish groups affiliated with it, an allegation denied by those groups. The new airstrikes -- dubbed Operation Claw-Sword – hit Kurdish bases which Ankara claims were being used to launch attacks on Turkey. On Saturday, the Kurdish-led authority in northeast Syria called on residents to unite against any possible attack by Turkey, warning that such an offensive would lead to a long war.

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq said in a statement Monday that Iran's renewed attacks and the violation of Iraq's national sovereignty must be stopped immediately, noting that such violent actions increase the tension in the region and would lead to a tragedy.

Last week, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, himself an IRGC commander, held a conversation with his Turkish counterpart, voicing support for “a stable and strong Turkey.” He said that Iran and Turkey have common enemies, calling for more serious cooperation in dealing with “those who make the two countries unsafe.”

Following violent clashes in the city of Mahabad on Saturday, a small Kurdish-majority city in West Azarbaijan province, the people of other cities across the country – especially Kurdish ones -- held protests in solidarity with Mahabad. The majority of Iran's 10 million Kurds live in the western parts of the country.

In addition to Kurdish cities such as Kermanshah, Paveh,Kamyaranand Saqqez – the hometown of Mahsa Amini -- people in the capital Tehran, the religious cityof Mashhad,Ardabil, and Orouniyeh (Urmia) as well as Kerman and Esfahan in central Iran poured onto streets to express their support for the protesters in Kurdish cities.

Videos on social media show a convoy of military vehicles with heavily armed troops in Mahabad while the sounds of heavy weaponry and incessant shooting can be heard. According to reports, military helicopters also carried members of the Revolutionary Guard to quell the protests in the city while streets have started to look like a battlefield. The IRGC also confirmed "strengthening" its forces in the Kurdish regions to confront "terrorist separatist groups" in the area. "The security of the people is our red line ... and dealing decisively with terrorists is our mandate," a statement by state media said.

The clerical regime has been trying to blame “rioters”, terrorists” and “separatists” for the two-month-long uprising, while protesters act with national unity as their motto.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concerns on Sunday “that Iranian authorities are reportedly escalating violence against protesters, particularly in the city of Mahabad. We continue to pursue accountability for those involved, as we support the Iranian people.”

Prominent Sunni cleric Molavi Abdolhamid, a powerful dissenting voice in the Shiite-ruled Islamic Republic, called on security forces to refrain from shooting at people in Mahabad, who are mainly Sunnis. "Disturbing news is emerging from the Kurdish areas, especially from Mahabad ... pressure and crackdown will lead to further dissatisfaction," he tweeted.

According to reports, at least six people were killed during Sunday clashes in Piranshahr, also in West Azarbaijan, Javanrud in Kermanshah province, and Sanandaj in Kordestan. Activist account 1500Tasvir said a 16-year-old student and a schoolteacher were killed in Javanrud.

Nationwide protests in the country were ignited by the death of 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in mid-September while she was in the custody of ‘morality police’. The current wave of the protests – the boldest challenge against the clerical regime -- has been described as a revolution by many pundits. The authorities have already responded with a heavy-handed crackdown that US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said in its latest report that from September 16 until Friday, November 18, at least 402 protestors have been killed -- including at least 58 minors -- half a dozen already sentenced to death and more than 15,000 arrested.

A Kurdish human rights group said that in Javanrud security forces opened fire at people from the rooftop of the city’s Judiciary building, the same spot they used during the shooting of protesters in November 2019, sometimes called Bloody November. Security forces killed at least 1,500 people in less than a week.

Hengaw, a Norway-based rights group which monitors abuses in Kurdish areas, said that "In the Kurdish city of Marivan repressive forces have opened fire at people."

In the town of Divandarreh, also located in Kordestan province, “the government’s repressive forces opened fire on protesters on Saturday, killing at least three civilians,” Hengaw reported. 

The rights group claimed that the security forces have killed at least 25 people in Kurdish cities since last Tuesday, November 17, when protesters thronged streets on the anniversary of Bloody November. “Twenty-three people were killed by direct fire, one by torture, and one by knife stabs,” Hengaw said.

The Islamic Republic’s attacks on Kurds is not limited to the crackdown on protesters as the IRGC has also stepped up shelling of Iranian Kurdish parties in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.

Late on Sunday, the IRGC once again launched missile attacks against the positions of the dissident Iranian Kurdish group, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan in Erbil. At least three missiles hit the party's positions including a hospital, causing casualties. The IRGC also targeted the Komala Party's positions in Iraqi Kurdistan's Sulaymaniyah with drones, the party's secretary general confirmed to Iran International.

In a decision of the cabinet on Sunday, Alireza Fakhari, Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) commander was appointed governor of Tehran province.

Fakhari was suggested by Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, who is another high-ranking IRGC officer.

Raisi’s move in effect changed the civilian governorship in Tehran into a military governorship.

Alireza Fakhari was the deputy coordinator of Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarter of the IRGC until earlier this year.

Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarter is the IRGC's major engineering arm and one of Iran's largest contractors in industrial and development projects. Khatam al-Anbiya was created during the 1980–88 Iran–Iraq War to help rebuild the country and has diversified over the years into companies dealing with mechanical engineering, energy, mining, and defense.

Alireza Fakhari replaced Mohsen Mansouri who has been appointed executive vice president.

The appointment of a military commander amid the daily protests of capital residents may mean more crackdown on demonstrators. Raisi has filled many civilian posts with IRGC officers.

The policy of hardline supporters of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, backed by IRGC, in pushing many other loyal regime elements to the margins of politics has opened more vistas for Revolutionary Guard officers. The military force already is perhaps the biggest economic player in Iran with hundreds of companies in all sectors.