By Gloria Ogbonna
Iranian state media reported Tuesday that two members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in what officials described as a “terrorist and cowardly act” carried out by anti-government and separatist militants, marking the latest in a series of deadly security incidents across western Iran.
According to state-run media, the attack occurred in the city of Paveh, located in Iran’s western Kermanshah Province near the border with Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Two additional people were reportedly injured during the assault.
Although Iranian authorities did not immediately identify those responsible, state media suggested the attackers were linked to separatist organizations operating along the country’s northwestern frontier. The location of the attack has fueled speculation that Kurdish militant groups were involved, as the region has long been the site of clashes between Iranian security forces and armed Kurdish organizations.
Later Tuesday, Sepah News, the official media outlet affiliated with the IRGC, reported that a group of armed saboteurs allegedly crossed into Iran through the border with Iraq’s Kurdistan region before being intercepted by IRGC forces. According to the report, all four suspected militants were killed during the confrontation. Iranian media also released blurred photographs that were said to show the individuals killed in the operation.
The deadly incident in Paveh was one of several attacks targeting Iranian security personnel reported across the country on the same day. Iranian media said four security operatives were killed in two separate armed assaults, while in the western city of Baneh, a gunman reportedly opened fire at a security checkpoint, killing two police officers.
Responsibility for the Paveh attack was later claimed by a newly formed Kurdish militant organization known as Xore Heva, or “Sun of Hope.” In a statement, the group said its mission is to promote Kurdish political awareness, strengthen Kurdish national identity, and oppose the policies of the Iranian government.
The organization said the attack was carried out in retaliation for the government’s crackdown on protesters during the 2022 “Women, Life, Freedom” demonstrations, which erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman who died after being detained by Iran’s morality police. Her death sparked nationwide protests and drew widespread international condemnation over Iran’s treatment of women and political dissent.
Another Kurdish armed group, the East Kurdistan Defense Units (YRK), also released a statement Tuesday following separate clashes with IRGC forces in Iran’s West Azerbaijan Province. The organization said four of its fighters were killed during the fighting and vowed to retaliate.
According to the YRK, its members “resisted until the very last drop of their blood” and were “heroically martyred.” The group also denied initiating the confrontation and rejected allegations that it is receiving support from foreign governments.
“We have not taken the side of any power, nor have we launched any attacks against the Iranian regime,” the organization said, responding to speculation that outside powers, including the United States, may be supporting Kurdish opposition groups.
Meanwhile, the Norway-based Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported a sharp escalation in Iranian military operations against Kurdish opposition groups since the U.S.-Iran peace agreement reached on June 17. Hengaw said Iranian forces have carried out at least 50 missile and drone strikes targeting Kurdish opposition headquarters and residential areas, most of them located in Iraq’s Kurdistan region rather than inside Iran.
According to Hengaw, the attacks have struck camps and neighborhoods housing the families of Kurdish Peshmerga members.
“According to Hengaw’s legal assessment, the attacks have specifically targeted densely populated camps and residential areas housing the families of Peshmerga members. At least three female Peshmerga fighters and one 17-year-old civilian have been killed, while at least 20 others have sustained serious injuries,” the organization said.
Violence was also reported in southeastern Iran. Iranian state television said a man and his daughter were killed Monday in Sistan and Baluchistan Province by what officials described as “Zionist-American mercenaries.” However, Hengaw disputed that account, claiming the victims were IRGC member Amirhossein Arbabi and his wife, who were allegedly shot while leaving an IRGC headquarters in the city of Saravan.
In a separate development, IRGC Navy political officer Mohammad Akbarzadeh died Monday in a traffic accident in Kerman Province. Iranian authorities said the incident remains under investigation but stressed there is currently no evidence suggesting it was an assassination.
Akbarzadeh was known for frequently commenting on Iran’s position regarding the Strait of Hormuz and had been placed under European Union sanctions in June for his alleged role in supporting Iran’s efforts to restrict freedom of navigation through the strategically important waterway.
The wave of attacks and retaliatory operations highlights the increasingly volatile security situation in western and southeastern Iran, where armed confrontations between government forces and Kurdish militant organizations have intensified in recent weeks.
The violence comes amid continuing political tensions inside the country and renewed instability along Iran’s borders, raising concerns that the conflict could further escalate in the months ahead.
Source Breitbart
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