Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Monday that unidentified groups operating from northern Iraq and allegedly acting on behalf of the United States and Israel had tried to transport a large cache of American weapons and ammunition into Iranian territory.

The accusations come amid heightened regional tensions following months of conflict involving Iran and Israel, despite a ceasefire announced in April.

Representatives of the Kurdish opposition groups, which maintain bases in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, dismissed the allegations as unfounded and politically motivated.

Party of Free Life of Kurdistan official Ahwan Chiako said claims regarding the seizure of weapons had “absolutely nothing to do with us.”

“We did not send weapons. No arms or equipment belonging to us have been seized by the Islamic regime,” Chiako told AFP.

Komala spokesperson Amjad Hossein Panahi said the accusations were “completely false” and served as justification for continued Iranian missile and drone strikes targeting areas in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

An official from the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to address the media, also denied any involvement in weapons transfers into Iran.

Tehran has long accused Kurdish armed factions based in Iraq of collaborating with Western governments or Israel and classifies several of the groups as terrorist organizations.

Iran has repeatedly conducted cross-border missile and drone strikes against Kurdish opposition positions in Iraq since the outbreak of the broader Middle East conflict, although many camps and facilities had reportedly been evacuated before the attacks intensified.

Earlier in the conflict, speculation emerged in regional media suggesting that Kurdish opposition groups might coordinate with the United States in the event of wider instability inside Iran. Iranian authorities subsequently warned they would target any militant activity launched from Iraqi Kurdistan.

Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq’s Kurdistan region Qubad Talabani said in March that the United States was not supplying weapons to Iranian Kurdish opposition groups.

US President Donald Trump had earlier suggested support for anti-government unrest inside Iran before later stating that attempts to arm Iranian protesters had failed because Kurdish intermediaries allegedly diverted the weapons.

The ceremonies, held Monday evening in several major squares across the Iranian capital, featured couples who had signed up for a so-called “self-sacrifice” initiative pledging readiness to support the country during wartime, according to Iranian state media.

More than 100 couples participated in one ceremony alone at Imam Hossein Square in central Tehran, Iranian media reported. Footage broadcast by state television showed newlyweds arriving in military jeeps equipped with mounted machine guns before taking part in marriage ceremonies led by clerics.

The events come amid heightened regional tensions following months of conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel, despite a fragile ceasefire announced in April.

Iranian authorities have promoted the “self-sacrifice” campaign, known in Persian as “janfada,” as a patriotic initiative encouraging civilians to demonstrate support for the state during wartime. State media said millions of Iranians, including senior political figures, had registered for the program.

Among those publicly associated with the initiative are Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Images from the ceremony showed stages decorated with balloons and large portraits of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed the position after the death of his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, during the opening phase of the conflict earlier this year.

Participants interviewed by Iranian media described the ceremonies as both patriotic and religious occasions. One bride said young Iranians still had the right to marry despite wartime conditions, while another participant said the event coincided with the anniversary of the marriage of Imam Ali and Fatima, revered figures in Shia Islam.

Since the outbreak of the conflict in February, Iranian authorities have organized frequent public rallies and state-sponsored gatherings aimed at projecting national unity and public mobilization during the crisis.

The announcement came a day after talks in Pakistan ended without agreement, underscoring persistent divisions over terms to end a conflict launched on Feb. 28 by the United States and Israel. The blockade is aimed at pressuring Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept a broader settlement addressing its nuclear and missile programs, as well as its regional activities.

Trump indicated that diplomatic channels remain open, saying Iran had reached out to explore a possible resolution. “We’ve been called by the right people … and they want to work a deal,” he told reporters outside the White House.Iran signaled conditional openness to negotiations.

Judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei said discussions must proceed on the basis of “principles and logic,” while other officials warned that Tehran would respond if the situation escalates.The blockade drew sharp reactions from Iran, which threatened countermeasures targeting ports across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, raising the risk that the two-week ceasefire declared earlier could collapse before its April 22 expiry.

At the core of the dispute remain differences over Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes. Its closure has already disrupted markets and driven up oil prices.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation in the recent talks, said Iran had not provided assurances it would refrain from pursuing nuclear weapons capability. Tehran has long denied such intentions while defending its right to civilian nuclear development, including uranium enrichment.

Iran’s negotiating position, articulated by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, emphasized sovereignty over the strait, an end to hostilities, and compensation for wartime damage.

Iranian officials also dismissed the blockade as exaggerated, with parliamentary spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei describing it as “more bluffing than reality.”Pakistan has indicated it may facilitate further dialogue, with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressing willingness to host another round of talks, though no timeline has been confirmed.

Both sides have maintained firm public positions, with Trump warning that any Iranian attempt to challenge the blockade would be met with force, while Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the measure risked further destabilizing the global economy.

The announcement came a day after talks in Pakistan ended without agreement, underscoring persistent divisions over terms to end a conflict launched on Feb. 28 by the United States and Israel. The blockade is aimed at pressuring Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept a broader settlement addressing its nuclear and missile programs, as well as its regional activities.

Trump indicated that diplomatic channels remain open, saying Iran had reached out to explore a possible resolution. “We’ve been called by the right people and they want to work a deal,” he told reporters outside the White House.

Iran signaled conditional openness to negotiations. Judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei said discussions must proceed on the basis of “principles and logic,” while other officials warned that Tehran would respond if the situation escalates.

The blockade drew sharp reactions from Iran, which threatened countermeasures targeting ports across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, raising the risk that the two-week ceasefire declared earlier could collapse before its April 22 expiry.

At the core of the dispute remain differences over Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes. Its closure has already disrupted markets and driven up oil prices.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation in the recent talks, said Iran had not provided assurances it would refrain from pursuing nuclear weapons capability. Tehran has long denied such intentions while defending its right to civilian nuclear development, including uranium enrichment.

Iran’s negotiating position, articulated by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, emphasized sovereignty over the strait, an end to hostilities, and compensation for wartime damage.

Iranian officials also dismissed the blockade as exaggerated, with parliamentary spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei describing it as “more bluffing than reality.”
Pakistan has indicated it may facilitate further dialogue, with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressing willingness to host another round of talks, though no timeline has been confirmed.

Both sides have maintained firm public positions, with Trump warning that any Iranian attempt to challenge the blockade would be met with force, while Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the measure risked further destabilizing the global economy.