Iran says busts 2 'terrorist' groups

TEHRAN -- The Iranian Intelligence Ministry said on Wednesday that two "terrorist" groups were bust on Tuesday in the west and northwest of the country, state TV reported.

The ministry "managed to monitor and destroy two terrorist outfits affiliated with separatist groups, who had crossed into the country from neighboring countries to carry out acts of terrorism," said a ministry statement.

In the operations, 16 members of the terrorist groups were arrested, with two Kalashnikov assault rifles, a pistol, two grenades, seven magazines and 240 cartridges confiscated, according to the statement.

In the clashes between Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) forces and an "anti-revolutionary terrorist" group in Divandarreh region in Kurdistan Province on Tuesday, three of the IRGC forces and a number of gunmen were killed.

Western Iran's Kurdish region bordering Iraq has been the scene of deadly clashes between the Iranian security forces and the Kurdish rebels over the past decades.