According to a professor at the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. War College in Pennsylvania and a specialist of the Kurds, the Sepah Pasdaran destroyed the bases of the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) in 1984-85 (30 Nov. 1995). The Pasdaran were involved in repressing the civilian Kurdish population through acts of torture, arbitrary arrests and imprisonment (ibid.). The professor stated that it was a violent period in Iran (ibid.). A person who belonged to the Pasdaran and who served in the Kurdish areas in 1984-85 was likely to have been involved in human rights violations (ibid.).

The professor added that Kurds were also involved in acts of human rights violation, such as torture, against members of the Pasdaran (ibid.).

The Pasdaran also pushed their offensive against the KDPI into Iraqi territory but were defeated by the Iraqi army (ibid.).

Additional information on this subject can be found in Responses to Information Requests IRN22249.E of 24 November 1995, IRN22454.E of 29 November 1995 and IRN22617.E of 12 December 1995. These Responses are available at your Regional Documentation Centre.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Professor of Strategic Studies, U.S. War College, Pennsylvania. 30 November 1995. Telephone interview.