Iranian General Rejects Claims of Joint Operation with Turkey against PKK
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior spokesman for the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces strongly denied reports that the Islamic Republic has carried out a joint operation with Turkey against militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
In comments released on Wednesday night, Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said there was no kind of joint operation between the Iranian Armed Forces and the Turkish military near the common border.
“The country's border guards have always dealt with any movements of the counter-revolutionary and terrorist groups decisively and will not allow them to make evil acts and undermine the security of our beloved homeland,” the top general noted.
The remarks came after Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said his country and Iran carried out a joint operation against the PKK militants on Monday, according to state-owned media.
“We started carrying out an operation with Iran against the PKK on our eastern border this morning (and) will announce the result,” news agency Anadolu quoted Solyu as saying. State broadcaster TRT Haber also cited him commenting on the operation.
Turkey’s military regularly carries out air strikes against PKK militants in northern Iraq and has carried out operations to arrest alleged members of the group in Turkey. The PKK is deemed a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union.
