Reports from Iran indicate that two members of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, IRGC have been killed in a clash with armed elements in northwestern Iran.

The incident happened in the region of Maku in West Azerbaijan province bordering Turkey and also close to Iraqi Kurdistan.

Maku’s governor Hassan Abbasi told Iranian media that two junior officers of IRGC were killed in the clash and another soldier wounded.

In recent months there have been multiple clashes in western Iran close to the Iraqi and Turkish borders between armed groups and Iranian armed forces. In most cases the armed groups are Kurdish insurgents with bases in Iraq. Some demand independence for Kurdish-populated regions of Iran.

Multiple clashed were reported also in early July between Kurdish insurgents and the IRGC.

It is not clear if in this case Kurdish groups were involved. In addition to Iranian Kurdish organizations, the Kurdish PKK has also clashed with Iranian forces.

Iranian officials in the past have blamed the activities of armed groups on "global arrogance", a reference to the United States in the Islamic Republic jargon.