{"id":128625,"date":"2026-03-12T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=128625"},"modified":"2026-03-09T09:49:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T07:49:09","slug":"09-00-114","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=128625","title":{"rendered":"Trump Seeks Kurdish Allies Against Tehran, but Analysts Say Plan Is Risky, Could Take Years"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/a>Trump Seeks Kurdish Allies Against Tehran, but Analysts Say Plan Is Risky, Could Take Years<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

Debbie Weiss<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Iranian Kurdish fighters from the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) take part in a training session at a base on the outskirts of Erbil, Iraq, Feb. 12, 2026. Photo: REUTERS\/Thaier Al-Sudani<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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The Trump administration, weighing whether the war with Iran could eventually require US troops on the ground, has begun reaching out to Kurdish opposition leaders in Iran with an offer of \u201cextensive US aircover\u201d as it looks for ways to destabilize the regime while the American-Israeli campaign intensifies<\/a>, an idea one analyst told The Algemeiner<\/i> would be very difficult to translate into action.<\/span><\/p>\n

The outreach comes amid reports from Iran that it had preemptively attacked Kurdish forces in Iraqi Kurdistan, claiming the strikes caused heavy losses.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to The Washington Post,<\/i> which cited people familiar with the matter, US President Donald Trump held calls with Kurdish minority leaders in Iraq, including Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani, as well as anti-regime Iranian Kurdish groups<\/a> about taking control of areas in western Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n

A senior official from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan said Washington asked Iraqi Kurdish authorities to \u201copen the way and not obstruct\u201d and to \u201cprovid[e] logistical support\u201d to Iranian Kurdish groups mobilizing in Iraq.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe told us the Kurds must choose a side in this battle \u2014 either with America and Israel or with Iran,\u201d the anonymous official told the paper.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trump himself on Thursday encouraged Iranian Kurdish forces to go on the offensive but did not indicate whether the US has been coordinating with them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s wonderful that they want to do that; I\u2019d be all for it,\u201d the president told Reuters in an interview.<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked if the US would provide air cover, Trump responded, \u201cI can\u2019t tell you that,\u201d but noted that the Kurds\u2019 objective would be \u201cto win.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf they\u2019re going to do that, that\u2019s good,\u201d he added.<\/span><\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s intelligence ministry said it had information that \u201cseparatist groups\u201d intended to breach its western borders for an attack.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe targeted the headquarters of Kurdish groups opposed to the revolution in Iraqi Kurdistan with three missiles,\u201d the ministry said, according to a statement published by the state-run IRNA news agency.<\/span><\/p>\n

Accounts diverged Wednesday night over whether an Iranian Kurdish ground invasion had begun. Fox News said Kurdish militias based in Iraq had crossed into Iran, but Tasnim, Iran\u2019s semi-official outlet, reported via Reuters that its journalists in three border provinces found no evidence of an incursion. Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, who initially cited a US official as confirming the operation, later said reports were \u201cconflicting,\u201d adding that a senior official in one Iranian Kurdish faction also denied that any offensive was underway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Peshawar Hawramani, a spokesperson for the government in the federated Kurdistan region of Iraq, known as the Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq, has released a statement denying involvement in any incursions or armament.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[A]llegations claiming that we are part of a plan to arm and send Kurdish opposition parties into Iranian territory are completely unfounded,\u201d Hawramani said, calling the reports \u201cmalicious.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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