Donald Trump offered Iranian Kurdish opposition groups this week extensive US air cover and other forms of support to incite an uprising against the regime, according to a Washington Post report citing sources familiar with the matter. Specifically, the sources referenced by the newspaper report that Trump communicated in recent days with Kurdish leaders from Iran and the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region in Iraq.
Read: USA: Senate rejects resolution limiting Trump’s war powers against Iran
Trump: “It’s about who has greater support from within”
According to a senior official from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Washington’s request to Iraqi Kurds was to “open the way and not obstruct Iranian Kurdish groups within Iraq,” while also providing logistical support. The PUK is one of Iraq’s two major Kurdish parties and is generally considered closer to Iran and more distant from Israel compared to its rival party, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
“Trump was clear,” stated the PUK official referring to the American president’s Sunday conversation with Bafel Talabani, leader of the Union. “He told us that the Kurds must choose sides in this battle — either with America and Israel, or with Iran.” Trump also communicated with KDP leader Masoud Barzani. A senior official from his party told the Washington Post that Trump conveyed a similar message, adding that “it’s not about who has more active armed militias to cross into Iran, but about who has greater support from within” the country.
The situation for Kurds in Iran and Iraq
The situation for Kurds in Iran and Iraq is difficult. The US has supported Kurds in Iraq and Syria, however many times it has prioritized the interests of the Kurds’ more powerful state adversaries. Iraqi Kurds have reached an uncertain compromise with Iran, with both sides agreeing not to support attacks against each other.
Iranian Kurds, if the current government remains in power, may face retaliation. Israeli and American media reported the launch of attacks by Iranian Kurdish forces during the night, which were later withdrawn.
“We are in a very sensitive position,” stated the senior PUK official. “If this ground attack fails, we don’t know what Iran’s reaction will be against the Kurdistan region in Iraq. At the same time, we cannot simply reject Trump’s request — especially when he calls us personally and asks for it.” Meanwhile, the issue appears to be getting more complicated, as on Thursday the Iraqi government announced it rejects “any use of the country’s territory to attack neighboring countries.”
Iraq’s president and parliament characteristically stated they “reject any use of the country’s territory for attacking neighboring countries” and added they oppose attacks against the country and Iraqi Kurdistan. The government also noted that Iraq has a “central role in maintaining security and stability in the region” and that “diplomatic solution is the best way to save from serious conflict.”
