Iran Admits Revolutionary Guards Killed in Iraq Despite Initial Denials

Shortly after the Iranian regime strongly denied that any Iranian personnel were killed in the recent Saudi-American strikes against Shiite militias in Iraq, opposition groups exposed Tehran to embarrassment by revealing otherwise. The Iranian consul in Iraq had earlier claimed that "by the grace of God" no Iranian civilians were harmed in the attack. However, opposition sources reported that at least four members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who acted as advisors and coordinators for Shiite militias in the region, were killed. Subsequently, even representatives from the Iraqi Shiite militias confirmed the deaths of at least four Iranians and additional injuries. The militias described the Iranian casualties as "legitimate advisors" rather than direct operatives and vowed to avenge their deaths.