The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a barrage of missile and drone strikes on Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on Wednesday, killing 14 people, including a US citizen.

In a statement late Thursday, the Guards said they were using "all kinds of missiles, kamikaze and combat drones" in the operations against bases and headquarters of what they called "terrorists".

"These operations will continue until the terrorist groups are disarmed and we ask the central government and the government of the northern region of Iraq to show more seriousness in their responsibilities towards Iran as a neighbour," the statement added.

The Guards have accused Iraq-based Kurdish groups of "attacking and infiltrating Iran... to sow insecurity and riots, and spread unrest".

Foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani "strongly condemned" Western statements criticising the cross-border strikes.

"Unfortunately, the countries that issued the statements, while violating their international responsibility to fight terrorism, continue their regrettable habit of selective and discriminatory behaviour," Kanani said.

He warned that Iran "reserves the right to defend its national security against acts of aggression from any territory and decisively confront any terrorist actions".

On Wednesday, State Department spokesman Ned Price said the United States "strongly condemns" Iran's "brazen attacks" across the border.

Germany too condemned the "escalation" and rejected "attempts to locate the causes of the Iranian protests in the neighbouring country".

A wave of unrest has rocked Iran since Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old from Iran's Kurdistan province, died on September 16 three days after her arrest by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly not observing the mandatory dress code for women.

The street violence has led to the deaths of dozens of people -- mostly protesters but also members of the security forces -- and hundreds of arrests.

The protests have been particularly well observed in Kurdish communities in western Iran that share strong connections with Kurdish-inhabited areas of Iraq.