Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) say there have been three clashes with militants along the border with Iraq in recent days, leaving several dead.

"In recent days, we have been witnessing some movements and efforts by antirevolutionary bandits and terrorists in western and northwestern border areas with the aim of deep infiltration," said IRGC ground forces commander Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour.

The IRGC generally uses the term “terrorist” to mean Sunni militants fighting against Shi’ite rule in Iran.

Pakpour said the first attack occurred on June 8 in the Oshnaviyeh area near the border with the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq that left seven militants "killed or wounded."

Two other alleged attacks were reported on June 9-10 -- one near Oshnaviyeh and one further south in the Sarvabad area.

The clashes left six attackers dead and three wounded, Pakpour said, adding that weaponry had been recovered from the militants.

He said surveillance had identified the alleged attackers before they were able to infiltrate Iranian territory.

In June 2017, terrorist attacks claimed by the Islamic State (IS) extremist group killed 18 people at the parliament building in Tehran and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's mausoleum south of the capital.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP