DIYARBAKIR, Turkey — As Iran becomes more vocal about its opposition to the upcoming Kurdish independence referendum in Iraq, there's some speculation about Tehran's true concerns.

Iranian armed forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri’s recent visit to Turkey found its place in history as the first visit by a senior Iranian general to Turkey in 38 years. Although the subject was not on the official agenda, it wasn’t difficult to guess that the parties discussed the referendum the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has scheduled for Sept. 25.

While Bagheri was in Ankara in mid-August, his army was active on the Iraqi border, with thousands of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members and heavy equipment deploying in six towns in Iran's Kurdish area. This wasn't the first time Iran had taken military measures against Kurdish organizations in the region, but its timing was significant, as Iran was looking for support from Turkey against the referendum.

In addition to amassing forces, Iran is using drones to observe the area. There were some predictions of a joint Iran-Turkey operation against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), but Iran quickly denied those reports.