Iranian Kurdish opposition parties face a delicate balance amid Iran’s military actions
The semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq has become increasingly entangled in the conflict between Iran and its neighbors. Iranian Kurdish opposition parties have been forced to adapt their strategies as they navigate this complex landscape.
In response to US-Israel strikes on Iran, which began on February 28, Iranian Kurdish fighters have taken up positions along the border with Iraq and inside Iran itself. The possibility of these fighters entering the conflict to topple the Iranian government has sparked widespread discussion about arming them for a potential large-scale military operation in Kurdish areas.
Several leaders of Iranian Kurdish opposition parties have confirmed that they command military formations, organisational structures, and headquarters within Kurdish regions in both Iraq and Iran. These groups include the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, which claims to have sleeper cells and networks participating in antigovernment protests in Iran.
The Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan was formed on February 22, 2026, in response to the suppression of these protests. Since then, their military assets in Iraq have been heavily attacked by Iranian drones and missiles. The party’s leader, Kako Alyar, stated that his group had sleeper cells and networks that participated in antigovernment protests in Iran.
However, despite US President Donald Trump’s flip-flopping on the role of Kurdish groups in the US-Israel military campaign, there is evidence to suggest that US intelligence has been working with Iranian Kurdish fighters. Areas along the Iraq-Iran border have been particularly heavily attacked since the start of the war, and some analysts interpret this as a sign that Washington might be serious about ground operations inside Iran by Iranian Kurdish groups.
Iranian opposition leaders are skeptical about the success of any potential large-scale military operation in Kurdish areas, citing risks such as heavy deployment of Iranian forces and high casualties for their side. They also argue that there is no real intention to support regime change within Iran.
The Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government had requested Iranian Kurdish parties to refrain from activities that could harm local security and interests, given the Iranian response. However, various Iranian Kurdish groups have long opposed Tehran from their bases in northern Iraq and along the Iraq-Iran border.
Despite these tensions, there are reports of US intelligence working with Kurdish fighters, particularly those connected to the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan. The Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government has also put pressure on Iranian Kurdish parties to limit their movements before this current war, but within hours of the US-Israel attacks on Iran in February, retaliatory attacks on US assets in Iraq’s Kurdish region began.
Economic targets, such as oil fields, have been hit in suspected drone and missile attacks. The Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government has placed thousands of fighters inside Iran to protect its autonomous region from Iranian military actions.
“We place the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region at the top of our priorities,” said Rebaz Sharifi, a leader in the opposition Kurdistan Freedom Party of Iran. “We do not want to harm the Kurds in Iraq.”
The situation remains delicate, with both sides facing significant risks as they navigate this complex conflict. As tensions escalate, it is unclear what the future holds for Iranian Kurdish parties and their involvement in the war.
Source: Al Jazeera
Based on reporting from Al Jazeera.
