Araghchi warns Turkey, Iraq against border 'terror' activity amid US-Israeil aggression

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned about certain “terrorist” activities alongside common borders with Iraq and Turkey amid the ongoing US-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic.

In a phone conversation with Bafel Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), on Thursday, Araghchi stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation to protect common borders in accordance with bilateral security agreements.

The PUK leader, for his part, pointed to the measures taken to improve border security and called for enhanced cooperation to prevent any destabilizing move and maintain security and stability.

Talabani also expressed his condolences over the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and all those who lost their lives during the ongoing criminal aggression by the United States and Israeli regime.

The US and Israel started a fresh round of aerial aggression on Iran on February 28, some eight months after they carried out unprovoked attacks on the country. The attacks led to the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei. More than 1,045 civilians, including women and children, as well as military commanders have been so far killed in the aggression. 

The aggression was launched as Iran and the US had held three rounds of indirect negotiations in the Omani capital of Muscat and the Swiss city of Geneva and planned to open technical talks in Vienna, Austria, on March 2.

Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the strikes by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in regional countries.

Araghchi's warning came as CNN reported on Tuesday that CIA is planning to arm Kurdish militants to launch a civil war in Iran amid the failure of US to achieve its war aims. 

CIA planning to arm Kurdish militants to cause unrest in Iran after US failure in war: Report

The CIA intends to arm Kurdish militants to trigger a civil war in Iran following its failure in achieving war goals, a report says.

Meanwhile, Iranian armed forces have announced several drone and missile operations against positions of terrorist groups hiding in the Iraqi Kurdistan region since the start of the war. 

Seperately, the Iranian foreign minister and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan discussed the latest developments in the region by phone.

Araghchi outlined the Israeli-US crimes in the past five days of savage aggression against Iran and reiterated the Iranian Armed Forces’ full preparedness to respond to the enemies’ acts of mischief and evil with utmost power.

He emphasized that Iran is targeting the military bases of the US and Israeli regime in the region which are used to architect and carry out aggressive operations against the country.

Iran’s responses to defend itself are in full accordance with the international law, the top Iranian diplomat pointed out.

Pointing to certain reports on the terrorist movements in the region, Araghchi stressed the need to promote Tehran-Ankara cooperation to preserve security and stability and confront the sinister plots of the Israeli regime orchestrated against the regional countries.

In another phone call on Wednesday, Araghchi discussed the developments in the region and the dangerous consequences of the Israeli-US military aggression with Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq's Kurdistan Region.

The Iranian foreign minister said the military strikes, which started amid Tehran-Washington indirect negotiations for the second time in nine months, were a “clear sign of the US warmongering and lies” regarding Iran’s nuclear program. 

He underscored that the aggression by the US and Israel has destabilized the entire region and led to far-reaching global consequences, for which the aggressors bear full responsibility.

Barzani, for his part, expressed his condolences over the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei and the Iranian citizens during the criminal US-Israeli attacks.

He reiterated the Kurdistan Region’s commitment to maintain and improve friendly relations with Iran.

Araghchi and Barzani also exchanged views about strengthening bilateral cooperation based on the Iran–Iraq security cooperation agreement aimed at protecting borders and preventing any third-party’s action that could undermine regional security.

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