Several Kurdish Iranian militant factions are reportedly preparing for a potential ground offensive against Iran’s regime in the country’s northwestern region, according to a report by Axios . The report states that five dissident Kurdish Iranian groups based in Iraq announced the formation of a new alliance called the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan (CPFIK) six days before the current war began. The coalition was created with the objective of confronting Iran’s ruling regime.
These Kurdish factions reportedly command thousands of fighters positioned along the Iran–Iraq border and maintain control over several strategic areas in the region.
Is US Backing Kurds To Overthrow Iranian Regime?
Axios reported that hundreds of members have recently been moved from camps on the Iraqi side of the border into Iranian territory as part of preparations for a possible attack on Iranian regime forces.
Reports revealed that several Kurdish groups are receiving support from the CIA and Mossad to fight against the Iranian regime as part B of the US plan to ‘deal with Iran’.
CIA and Mossad are aiming to capture territory within Iran’s Kurdish region, thereby challenging the Iranian regime and encouraging a wider uprising against it.
During a closed-door congressional briefing on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the issue and said, “we’re not arming the Kurds. But you never know with the Israelis.”
Donald Trump Speaks With Kurdish Leaders
The Axios report also noted that US President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Sunday with two prominent Kurdish leaders in Iraq, Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani. The conversation reportedly focused on the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran and potential developments in the region.
Despite the reports, the government of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region has denied claims that it is participating in the US war against Iran.
Peshawa Hawramani, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government, rejected the allegations in a post on X, stating, “Reports that speak about a role of the Kurdistan Region and the allegations claiming that we are part of a plan to arm and send Kurdish opposition parties into Iranian territory are completely unfounded. We categorically deny them and affirm that they are being published deliberately and maliciously.”
Hawramani also condemned ongoing Iranian attacks in the Kurdistan region that have targeted Iranian and Iraqi Kurdish armed groups.
Who Are the Kurds?
The Kurds are one of the world’s largest stateless ethnic groups, numbering nearly 30 million people. They inhabit a region known as Kurdistan that spans parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria.
Kurds in Iraq and Syria have enjoyed varying degrees of semi-autonomy for years. However, Kurdish nationalist movements across the region have long sought the creation of an independent Kurdish state known as Kurdistan.
Historical Tensions Between Kurds and Iran
Kurdish groups have a long history of grievances and uprisings against both Iran’s current Islamic Republic and the monarchy that preceded it.
At present, six Iranian Kurdish groups have united under a coalition aimed at overthrowing the Islamic Republic and securing Kurdish self-determination.
The Kurdish people maintain a distinct cultural identity that includes their own language, related to Persian, though it exists in multiple dialects. Their cultural heritage also includes traditional dress, music, cuisine, and a strong collective identity.
As of Thursday, neither the United States nor Kurdish groups had officially confirmed any formal agreements regarding military cooperation.
Major Kurdish Groups and Their Roles
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)
Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan (CPFIK)
Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI)
Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK)
Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK)
Organisation of Iranian Kurdistan Struggle (Khabat)
Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan
Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KPIK)
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
