Iran Press/ Iran news: Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the IRGC's Ground Forces, on the sideline of a visit to the country's northwestern operational bases, reacted to a Turkish official's claim that PKK elements (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) were present inside the Islamic Republic of Iran, noted, "We consider this claim as irresponsibility, groundless and we deny it."
Referring to the situation on the borders of the two countries, the high ranking official stated, "There are very good and useful interactions between the armed forces of the two countries on the joint borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkey. Therefore, it is expected that the officials of the friendly and neighboring country of Turkey, before any media comment on the border incidents, after ensuring the accuracy of the incident, communicate with the Islamic Republic of Iran officials through military channels and mechanisms."
Gen. Pakpour went on to say, "The IRGC ground force, based on its mission in charge of keeping security in the northwest of the country, has been actively present at the border with its forces, including border guards and ground operations units, with full authority and readiness in the region has established the necessary border dominance."
Emphasizing that the presence of terrorist elements inside the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran is one of our red lines, he added, "At the same time, it is understandable for us that the recent operations of groups inside Turkish territory have put pressure on Turkish officials and forced them to make such a claim."
PKK militants regularly clash with Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated southeast of Turkey attached to northern Iraq.
Turkey, along with the European Union has declared the PKK a terrorist group and has banned it. The militant group has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region since 1984.
A shaky ceasefire between the PKK and the Turkish government collapsed in July 2015. Attacks on Turkish security forces have soared ever since.
Over the past few months, Turkish ground and air forces have been carrying out operations against PKK positions in the country as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.
More than 40,000 people have been killed during the three-decade conflict between Turkey and the autonomy-seeking militant group.
PKK has been responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians, including a number of women and children.
Iran has had its own struggle with the PKK's Iranian offshoot, the so-called Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), which has waged several terrorist attacks in western Iran over the past years.
205/216
Read more:
Iran rejects participation in Turkey’s operation against PKK
Top PKK terrorist killed in Turkish airstrikes
