ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed Sunday that the US has not abandoned its alleged plan to overthrow the Islamic republic through opposition groups, citing recent clashes with dissident groups on the borders.

Since early June, clashes have erupted between opposition groups and the Islamic republic’s forces in western Iran’s Kurdish majority regions (Rojhelat), leading to casualties on both sides on several occasions.

The altercations have taken place in the cities of Marivan, Baneh, Mahabad, Piranshahr, and Paveh, among others.

“The IRGC always keeps a watchful eye on its enemy, and one of the things the enemy has in mind is to reorganize the counter-revolutionary groups, the Monafeqin [MEK], and the monarchists,” IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said during an interview with the semi-official Tasnim news agency. 

“We should not become unaware that the enemy has abandoned the idea of overthrowing [the regime],” he said, adding that “the enemy is an enemy, and it will remain hostile to us until the end.” 

The newly formed Rojhelat-based group Khori Hiwa (Sun of Hope) said late Saturday that it had killed Hamid Baqerzadeh, a senior intelligence official in Piranshahr, in a revenge operation against what it was alleging as his involvement in operations targeting Iranian Kurdish opposition groups that left several fighters dead. 

“The fact that these events are happening in the northwest is evidence that we are defending [the country], in such a way that before they can carry out this act, we strangle them in the cradle,” Mohebbi claimed.

“Targeting the capability of the separatist splinter groups who, incited by America and with American backing, want to enter the country intending to strike under the cover of the public, under the cover of unrest,” he added.

Since the US-Israel war with Iran began in late February, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced disappointment with “the Kurds,” without specifying which groups he was referring to, accusing them of keeping weapons that Washington had allegedly sent to the Kurds to arm the Iranian people against the government.

“The US president has openly said, 'I have given them permission,' and has openly said, 'I will equip and support them,’” Mohebbi added, noting that the IRGC forces are ready to “defend in all arenas.”

Trump’s accusations have been denied by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and ruling parties on separate occasions.

Additionally, Iranian Kurdish opposition groups have collectively rejected reports of having received any weapons from Washington.

Earlier in July, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed that the US and Israel’s objective at the start of the war was to “divide Iran.” 

He also claimed that he had spoken with Kurdish and Iraqi officials during the early days of the current conflict with the US and Israel, warning that Tehran would launch strikes if faced with threats originating from the Kurdistan Region.

The Iranian Kurdish opposition groups were previously accused in early March of launching ground incursions into Iran from the country’s western border to join the conflict against Tehran; reports they also strongly denied.