Iran calls Kurdistan drone attack a ‘false-flag’ operation

TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has condemned a drone attack targeting the office of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s prime minister in Iraq, while warning Kurdish authorities to remain alert to what he described as possible “false-flag” operations.

The remarks came after two drones targeted the office of Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in Erbil on Monday. Kurdish authorities said the attack caused no casualties, although the incident has added to concerns over the increasingly tense security environment in northern Iraq.

Araghchi said nothing justified what he called a reckless attack and urged Iran’s Kurdish neighbours to be cautious of attempts to create divisions and discord between neighbouring countries.

In a statement posted on social media, the Iranian foreign minister said Kurdish communities and officials should remain vigilant against operations designed to provoke tensions. He also referred to Iran’s past support for Kurdish people during conflicts with Saddam Hussein’s government and the Islamic State group.

The comments came as questions remained over who was responsible for the latest attack. The Kurdistan Regional Government’s security agency said the drones originated from Iranian territory, according to Reuters.

Iranian officials, however, have not directly accepted responsibility for the strike. Instead, Tehran has highlighted the possibility that the attack could have been carried out as a “false-flag” operation aimed at damaging relations between Iran and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region.

The attack has further complicated an already sensitive regional security situation. Erbil has experienced repeated drone incidents in recent months amid the wider confrontation involving Iran, the United States and Israel. In July, several drones were intercepted over the city, with local authorities reporting no casualties.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani has also condemned the latest attack, describing the incident as unacceptable and calling for Iraq’s federal government to fulfil its responsibility to protect the region’s security and stability.

The latest confrontation comes as Iraqi Kurdistan attempts to avoid being drawn deeper into wider regional hostilities. The region’s strategic location and close ties with Western partners have repeatedly made it a sensitive point in the broader Middle Eastern conflict.

With competing claims surrounding the drone attack, the incident is likely to increase diplomatic pressure on Baghdad, Erbil and Tehran to prevent further escalation and clarify responsibility for attacks on Kurdish territory.