MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNCS) has closed the country’s northwestern border to counter spreading unrest from neighboring Turkey, Iranian police chief said Monday.
In late July, Turkey launched a military campaign against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, following two police officer deaths in the southern city of Ceylanpinar. The PKK claimed responsibility for the Ceylanpinar killings, saying the policemen had backed the Islamic State extremist group.
"Its [the SNSC's] officials should be asked about the reason [of the closure], but it seems that the reason behind the temporary closure is the problems that have occurred in recent days at the western borders, particularly in Turkey," Brig. Gen. Hossein Ashtari told reporters as quoted by the local Tasnim news agency.
Last week, an explosion hit a gas pipeline between Turkey and Iran, a target of frequent attacks by PKK until a 2013 ceasefire recently terminated by Turkish airstrikes.
