US Eyes Kurds to Pressure Iran Regime: A Risky Strategy?
With the Iranian regime weakened by ongoing military operations, Washington is reportedly considering bolstering Kurdish forces in the region in an effort to encourage internal upheaval. The move, which has been under discussion for several months, reflects a broader attempt by the Trump administration to increase pressure on Tehran as regional tensions escalate.
Iran’s Kurdish minority, comprising between 8% and 17% of the country’s population, has long faced persecution under the Islamic Republic. Since February 28, 2026, reports have indicated that the CIA is actively working to arm Kurdish opposition groups, aiming to foment a popular uprising within Iran. Discussions have been held between Trump administration officials and Kurdish leaders in both northern Iraq and northwestern Iran regarding potential military support.
President Donald Trump personally spoke with Mustafa Hijri, president of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), on , according to a senior Iranian Kurdish official. The KDPI was among the groups recently targeted by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has been conducting strikes against Kurdish positions using drones.
This support for Iranian Kurdish groups began several months prior to the recent escalation, with the aim of providing a potential ground force capable of stretching Tehran’s security services. Kurdish opposition forces are expected to participate in a ground operation in western Iran in the coming days, anticipating support from the United States and Israel, according to sources.
A History of Grievances and Betrayal
The Kurds, numbering roughly 30 to 40 million people across Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran, represent the world’s largest stateless ethnic group. Despite being promised a state in the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres, that prospect was ultimately abandoned with the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. While united by shared heritage and language, Kurdish communities exhibit diverse political cultures and leaderships, making them a collection of related groups rather than a unified movement.
Iran’s Kurdish minority, concentrated in the northwest, has been at the forefront of opposition to the Islamic Republic since its founding in . Following the revolution, an early Kurdish autonomy movement was swiftly crushed, with its leaders executed and Kurdish towns attacked. Subsequent decades have seen bans on Kurdish political parties, restrictions on cultural expression, and the public execution of activists.
Kurdish towns were central to the protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in . The Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), ideologically linked to the Turkish-based Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), has conducted armed campaigns against the IRGC for two decades. In response to the current conflict, the IRGC has already begun striking Kurdish positions with dozens of drones, reflecting a long-standing pattern of preemptive action against Kurdish groups.
Several Kurdish groups have issued statements hinting at imminent action and urging Iranian military forces to defect. This has seemingly convinced strategists in Washington that the tactical calculus is favorable, offering a low-footprint approach with the potential for significant disruption.
Regional Implications and Potential Pitfalls
The appeal of this strategy is clear, but carries significant risks. The Kurds have long-standing grievances against Iran’s clerical leaders, and many would welcome the Islamic Republic’s removal. However, pursuing this approach without a genuine commitment to Kurdish statehood or autonomy could be seen as a betrayal, recalling past instances where the Kurds were abandoned by external powers, such as the Algiers Accord between the Shah of Iran and Saddam Hussein, which abruptly ended support for Iraqi Kurdish rebels.
arming the Kurds could inflame tensions with Turkey, which views the PKK and affiliated groups as existential threats and has conducted military operations against them in Iraq and Syria. This could jeopardize the recent ceasefire between Turkey and the PKK, and strain relations with a key NATO ally.
Beyond Turkey, a Kurdish insurgency could also have repercussions in Iraq, where Iran has already launched strikes in Kurdish regions. Militant groups representing the Baluch ethnic minority have formed their own coalition, potentially further destabilizing the region.
Intelligence assessments suggest that Iranian Kurdish groups currently lack the resources to sustain a successful uprising, and are fractured with differing agendas. While a coalition of five Iranian Kurdish groups was formed days before the conflict, its long-term unity remains uncertain. A repeat of past U.S. Interventions, characterized by improvisation and unforeseen consequences, could result in a new cycle of betrayal for the Kurds and further instability in the region.