Reports indicate that armed Kurdish separatist factions have attempted to enter Iran in recent days, raising concerns that the nation’s escalating turmoil is drawing in hazardous foreign militants with the potential to destabilize the broader region.
As Reuters reports, Iranian officials stated the border breach attempt occurred during a widespread government crackdown on nationwide anti-regime protests, a response spearheaded by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The Tasnim News Agency also reported that armed militia groups based in Iraq crossed into western and northwestern Iran.
According to Reuters, which cited three sources including a senior Iranian official, Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) alerted the IRGC about Kurdish fighters attempting to cross the Iran-Iraq border.
The Iranian official mentioned that clashes erupted following the crossing attempt and alleged the fighters were seeking to take advantage of the unrest to foster greater instability.
It is estimated that approximately 30 million Kurds reside in the Middle East, primarily in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.
Turkey has classified Kurdish militant groups in northern Iraq as terrorist organizations and has conducted military incursions against them. Bases of the PKK in Iraq have also been targeted by the Turkish military.
In 2025, the PKK announced it would lay down its arms and conclude its decades-long conflict with Turkey.
Reuters noted that MIT and the office of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declined to comment on the border incident with Iran but warned that any external interference in Iran could intensify regional crises.
Iranian authorities claimed the fighters were sent from Iraq and Turkey and stated that the Iranian government has requested both nations to prevent any movement of militants or arms into Iran.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that the death toll during the protests increased to at least 2,571 on Wednesday.
Separately, former President Donald Trump said Wednesday that based on information from what he described as “very important sources on the other side,” he believes there are currently no plans for large-scale executions in Iran.
When questioned about his sources, Trump identified them as “very important sources on the other side.”
On Wednesday, Iran restricted its airspace to most flights for a period slightly exceeding two hours, according to flight-tracking website data.