Armed Kurdish fighters have attempted to breach the Iran-Iraq border amid ongoing protests in Iran, raising concerns about regional instability, according to reports.
Turkey’s intelligence agency, MIT, has alerted Iran’s Revolutionary Guard about Kurdish fighters attempting to cross the Iran-Iraq border during a period of significant unrest in Iran. This development has heightened fears that the turmoil within Iran could attract foreign militants, potentially destabilizing the broader region.
Reports indicate that armed Kurdish separatist groups have made recent attempts to enter Iran from Iraq, coinciding with a government crackdown on nationwide protests against the Iranian regime. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is leading the government’s response to these protests, which have been marked by widespread dissent.
The Tasnim News Agency has reported that militia groups operating in Iraq have crossed into western and northwestern Iran. This situation has raised alarms among Iranian officials, who claim that the Kurdish fighters are trying to exploit the ongoing unrest to further destabilize the country.
According to Reuters, three sources, including a senior Iranian official, confirmed that Turkey’s MIT warned the IRGC about the Kurdish fighters’ movements. Following the attempted border crossing, clashes reportedly broke out, with Iranian officials accusing the fighters of trying to take advantage of the chaotic situation.
The Council on Foreign Relations estimates that approximately 30 million Kurds reside in the Middle East, primarily in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. This demographic reality adds complexity to the regional dynamics, especially as Turkey has designated Kurdish militant groups in northern Iraq as terrorist organizations and has conducted military operations against them.
In a notable development, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced in 2025 its intention to disarm and conclude its long-standing conflict with Turkey. However, tensions remain high, and Turkey’s military continues to target PKK bases in Iraq.
Amid these tensions, Iranian authorities have alleged that the Kurdish fighters involved in the recent border attempts were dispatched from Iraq and Turkey. The Iranian regime has reportedly requested both governments to halt any transfer of fighters or weapons into Iran.
The crackdown on protests in Iran has resulted in a rising death toll, which has reached at least 2,571, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. In light of the escalating violence, former President Donald Trump stated that he had been informed that the killings had ceased and expressed skepticism about any plans for large-scale executions. When asked about his sources, Trump referred to them as “very important sources on the other side.”
In a related development, Iran closed its airspace to most flights on Wednesday, with the closure lasting just over two hours, as reported by flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
This series of events underscores the precarious situation in Iran and the potential for regional instability as various factions seek to exploit the ongoing unrest. The international community is closely monitoring the situation, as the implications of these developments could extend far beyond Iran’s borders.
As tensions continue to rise, the actions of Kurdish fighters and the responses from both Iran and Turkey will be critical in shaping the future of the region, according to Reuters.