Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, announced today that his earlier statements to ISNA regarding the arrest of the number-two top member of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), a Turkish separatist group, was on the basis of reports in the Turkish media adding that the news has not been confirmed by "competent Iranian sources."
Earlier Turkish media had reported that Murat Karayilan, a top member of the PKK, had been arrested by Iranian intelligence forces..
Boroujerdi confirmed the news yesterday but today corrected himself saying that his information was not from Iranian sources rather from TUrkish media reports.
Murat Karayilan led the PKK after the arrest of party leader Abdullah Ojalan.
The Forat News Agency, a media outlet linked to the PKK, has denied the news, and Iran’s ambassador to Turkey has also announced that the embassy has not been informed of Kara Ilan’s arrest.
Alaeddin Boroujerdi added that PJAK’s recent actions around Iran’s western borders have been a reaction to "this powerful action by Iran."
PJAK, or the Free Life Party of Kurdistan, is the Iranian counterpart of PKK and it has been involved in a series of recent attacks against Iranian forces along the Western borders of Iran in collaboration with the PKK.
The PKK had earlier claimed responsibility for the August 12 explosion in Turkey that damaged the pipelines that carry natural gas from Iran. The explosion stopped gas flow to Turkey, and authorities estimated the repairs would take a week.
An earlier explosion in Iranian territory, which stopped the flow of gas for 24 hours, was organized by PJAK forces, according to Iranian authorities.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps have been fighting PJAK forces in Iran’s northwestern region for over a month. The head of IRGC land forces recently commented on that conflict, saying, "We will destroy the nests of anti-Revolutionaries wherever they may be."
