/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/7M2LA7DHMVLT5GSHU45H3RTSL4.jpg)
U.S. vows to support Iraq and regional partners after Iran attack
AxiosNov 29, 2021
The Facts
On Wednesday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said it had fired missiles and drones at militant targets in the Kurdish region of Iraq, killing 13 people and wounding 58, according to Iraqi officials.
The headquarters of three Iranian Kurdish opposition parties were reportedly targeted, but there were reports of civilian areas also being hit. This was the first Iranian attack inside Iraq since March.
The Spin
Anti-Iran narrative
Though Iranian attacks on Iraqi soil are not new, the IRGC seems to be escalating their attacks by bombing civilian regions and regions close to the Iraqi government and US forces. With the regime failing to quash simmering protests at home, Iran is using its military might to devastate Kurdish opposition forces across the border and destabilize the region.
Pro-Iran narrative
The IRGC warned Kurdish officials multiple times that it was unacceptable for terrorist and secessionist groups to freely operate in northern Iraq. However, local authorities ignored these messages, leaving no other option than this operation. Meanwhile, the media and Iraqi Kurdish officials falsely accuse Iran of killing civilians, when they hit military targets only.
