Germany condemns Iran’s attacks on Kurdistan Region amidst domestic protests in Iran
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The German Federal Foreign Office on Wednesday condemned Wednesday’s Iranian attacks against Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in the Kurdistan Region.
https://t.co/amgGmGHJfF
— German Consulate Erbil (@GermanyInKRI) September 28, 2022
Statement by the German Federal Foreign Office @GermanyDiplo on the Iranian attacks on the #KRI
“The German government condemns the Iranian attacks in northern Iraq. Drone and rocket attacks in the provinces of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Sulaymaniyah and Erbil, have been going on for several days,” the statement said.
“Iran's escalation, which has reportedly already killed nine people and injured many more, is unacceptable. We mourn with the bereaved and relatives of the victims of the attacks, we wish the injured a speedy recovery,” the ministry said.
Moreover, the German Federal Office said they view “Iran's attacks on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq against the background of the domestic political protests in Iran with great concern.”
The Iranian attacks come as protests in Iran over the death of the 22-year-old Kurdish girl Mahsa (Zhina) Amini are ongoing in more than 90 Iranian cities, including Iranian Kurdistan.
More than 70 protestors have been killed so far, according to human right activists.
Germany rejected attempts by Iran to blame the cause of the protests in Iran on a neighboring country.
Iran has blamed exiled Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region for being behind the protests in Iran.
"We call on Iran to respect Iraq's territorial integrity and cease attacks immediately,” the German Foreign Ministry said.
Moreover, Germany said that as a close “partner of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, we continue to work to strengthen Iraq's sovereignty and to maintain its unity and stability in the fight against ISIS.”
“The joint progress of recent years must not fall victim to an escalation now brought about by Iran.”
We are concerned about continued attacks by Iran on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. We deplore the loss of innocent civilian life. The attacks are an unprovoked violation of Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We call on Iran to immediately cease the attacks.
— German Consulate Erbil (@GermanyInKRI) September 28, 2022
The German Consulate in Erbil earlier today also expressed concerns "about continued attacks by Iran on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq."
Also the German Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance Luise Amtsberg in a recent statement on Iran's protests said the death of Zhina Amini "brings home the dramatic human rights situation in Iran."
She said the protesters "are demonstrating against the massive restrictions to women’s rights, against the violation of the freedom of expression, freedom of the press and freedom of assembly, against tyranny, the death penalty and extrajudicial executions, and against torture, enforced disappearances and systematic impunity."
"The international community must speak out clearly and unambiguously on the issue of repression and violence by the security forces and condemn these steps. The Federal Government will continue to keep up the pressure," she said.