Iran Says Separatist Groups Targeted in Iraq, US Tanker Hit in Gulf

By Al Mayadeen English

Iran said its forces struck separatist groups near its western border and that IRGC naval units targeted a US tanker in the northern Persian Gulf.

Iran’s Intelligence Ministry said on Thursday that its forces targeted positions of separatist groups allegedly attempting to enter the country through its western borders.

In a statement carried by Iranian state media, the ministry said the groups suffered heavy losses during the operation.

Tehran warns of foreign-backed destabilization

The ministry accused what it described as an Israeli-American plan to launch attacks on Iranian territory using separatist groups operating near the border.

It added that Iranian forces are cooperating with what it called “noble Kurds” to prevent infiltration attempts and maintain security in western regions of the country.

According to sources cited by Reuters, Iranian Kurdish militias have recently held consultations with the United States about the possibility of attacking Iranian security forces in western Iran.

IRGC says US tanker struck in Gulf

In a separate development, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps said Iranian naval forces targeted a US tanker in the northern part of the Gulf.

According to a statement carried by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, the vessel was struck on Thursday morning and caught fire following the attack.

Iran warns over control of Strait of Hormuz

The IRGC said the Strait of Hormuz remains under Iranian control and warned that vessels linked to the United States, Israel, and European countries would not be permitted to pass through the strategic waterway.

The Strait is one of the world’s most critical maritime routes for global energy shipments.

CIA aims to spark internal unrest in Iran

Earlier on Tuesday, multiple sources familiar with the developments told CNN that the CIA is working to arm Kurdish forces in Iran as part of a broader effort to pressure Tehran and potentially spark internal unrest. According to the report, the administration of US President Donald Trump has been engaged in active discussions with Iranian opposition groups and Kurdish leaders in Iraq regarding the provision of military support.

Iranian Kurdish armed groups currently maintain thousands of fighters operating along the Iraq-Iran border, primarily within Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Several of these groups have issued public statements since the beginning of the war, signaling potential imminent action and urging Iranian military forces to defect.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has intensified operations against separatist Kurdish positions. The IRGC stated on Tuesday that it targeted Kurdish forces using dozens of drones.

US contacts with Kurdish opposition groups

On Tuesday, Trump reportedly spoke with the president of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), Mustafa Hijri, according to a senior Iranian Kurdish official cited by CNN. The KDPI was among the groups targeted by the IRGC. Iranian Kurdish opposition forces are expected to participate in a ground operation in western Iran in the coming days, the official said.

“We believe we have a big chance now,” the source stated, referring to the timing of the operation. The source added that the militias expect US and Israeli support.

Trump also contacted Iraqi Kurdish leaders on Sunday to discuss the US military operation in Iran and potential coordination as the mission progresses, according to two US officials and another source familiar with the discussions. Any attempt to arm Iranian Kurdish groups would require cooperation from Iraqi Kurdish authorities to allow weapons transit and use Iraqi Kurdistan as a staging ground for aggression.