Iranian Kurdish Militias Seek US Support for Potential Attack on Iranian Forces
According to three anonymous sources familiar with the matter, Iranian Kurdish militias have engaged in consultations with the United States in recent days regarding the possibility and methodology of attacking Iran's security forces in the western region of the country. These discussions come as the United States and Israel continue their bombardment of Iranian targets with bombs and missiles.
Coalition Training and Strategic Goals
The coalition of Iranian Kurdish groups, which is based along the Iran-Iraq border within the semiautonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, has been actively training for such an offensive. Their primary objective is to weaken Iran's military infrastructure, creating an opportunity for Iranians who oppose the Islamic regime to mobilize. This strategic move follows the deaths of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other top officials since the initiation of the U.S.-Israeli attacks last Saturday, as reported by two of the sources.
No final decision has been reached concerning the operation or its timing, according to the sources, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the military planning. The groups have formally requested U.S. military assistance, and Iraqi leaders from Erbil and Baghdad have also been in communication with the Trump administration over the past few days.
CIA Involvement and Weapons Provision
Two of the sources indicated that the forces are negotiating with the United States for CIA support to supply weapons. CNN was the first to report on the CIA's involvement with these groups and the potential ground operation. Additionally, Axios revealed this week that President Trump held a telephone conversation with two senior leaders of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Reuters has been unable to independently verify the extent of the CIA's role in planning the operation, whether it has facilitated weapon transfers, or if any U.S. forces intend to enter Iran alongside the Kurdish groups. The CIA has declined to comment, while the White House and the Pentagon have not immediately responded to requests for comment. The Kurdish Regional Government also did not provide an immediate response.
Challenges and Regional Implications
Any operation originating from Iraq would likely necessitate substantial U.S. military and intelligence support. The Pentagon has noted that the two U.S. bases in Erbil have been supporting the international coalition against Islamic State militants. Although Kurdish groups in Iraqi Kurdistan have a longstanding history of collaboration with the U.S., their fluctuating allegiances and ideologies have occasionally strained relations with Washington.
The success of Iranian Kurdish groups in combat within Iran remains uncertain, as their fighters possess varying levels of battlefield experience. A source cited by CNN suggested that the plan involves Kurdish armed forces engaging Iranian security forces to facilitate an uprising by unarmed Iranians in urban areas.
The potential reception of such an operation by other regional countries is unclear. An armed uprising by Iranian Kurds could significantly destabilize Iran, potentially exacerbating an armed separatist movement among the ethnic Baluch minority, which maintains close ties with separatists in Pakistan's Baluchistan province. Islamabad is unlikely to tolerate any moves toward Baluch independence.
Turkey, a staunch supporter of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, views the integration agreement between Damascus and Kurdish forces as crucial for reestablishing state authority across Syria. Ankara has threatened military action against the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Forces (SDF) in the north if they do not submit to central government control. Furthermore, Turkey is actively pursuing peace with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and is unlikely to support the arming of Kurdish groups near its borders.
