Kurdish fighters watch for opening to strike Iran as Trump voices support
FIRST ON FOX: As U.S. and Israeli military pressure on Iran intensifies, and President Donald Trump signals support for Kurdish forces, Kurdish opposition groups along the country’s western frontier tell Fox News Digital they are watching closely for an opportunity to strike back against the Islamic Republic, which they have fought for decades.
Kako Aliyar, a member of the leadership committee of the Kurdish opposition party Komala, told Fox News Digital from an undisclosed location in Iraq that the Kurdish movements are ready to act if conditions allow.
"Kurds have been waiting for a moment to do something," Aliyar said. "We believe that those moments are not far from us."
But Aliyar said Kurdish forces cannot yet move against the regime because Iran still retains the ability to launch missile and drone attacks, which opposition fighters would struggle to defend against.
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Aliyar said Iranian forces continue to target Kurdish opposition bases across the border in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.
Trump signaled support for Kurdish fighters launching an offensive against Iran, saying in a telephone interview with Reuters Thursday that he would back such a move.
"I think it's wonderful that they want to do that — I'd be all for it," Trump said.
Asked whether the United States would provide air cover for a Kurdish offensive, Trump declined to elaborate.
"I can't tell you that," he said.
Aliyar said Kurdish groups remain under pressure from Iran and continue to face attacks on their bases across the border in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.
"Our camps, the Kurdish political parties, are still under attack by the Iranian regime, and we can’t go into detail," he said.
Still, he indicated that if the opportunity arises, Kurdish fighters would attempt to return to Iranian territory.
"If we get an opportunity to go back to our own country, we will use it," he said.
The comments come as Iranian Kurdish opposition groups attempt to present a united front against Iran.
In February, several factions formed the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan, bringing together parties including Komala, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), PJAK and the Kurdistan Freedom Party.
Aliyar said the coalition is still organizing itself but carries an important political message.
"Politically, it’s a huge message for the Kurdish people inside the country and the international community that Kurds are united," he said. "We are working together, and we are trying to reach our goals together."
Kurdish groups have long fought the Iranian government. Armed clashes between Kurdish militants and Iranian forces date back to the years following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Kurdish factions sought autonomy and were violently suppressed by Tehran.
Today, many Kurdish opposition groups operate from neighboring Iraqi Kurdistan, where they maintain political offices and limited military forces.
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Aliyar suggested Kurdish forces would only be able to move if Iran’s military capabilities are significantly degraded.
"I believe those missile and drone abilities have to be more weakened or totally removed because we are not able to defend ourselves against them," he said.
Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones remains one of the regime’s strongest deterrents against internal or external challengers.
"They can still launch missiles and they can still kill people," Aliyar said.
If those capabilities were reduced, he believes Kurdish forces could attempt to exploit the moment.
"I think everyone has the capacity to do so because Kurdish political parties have huge legitimacy among the people," he said. "People support them, people support us."
However, Aliyar cautioned that no one can predict how events will unfold.
"When a war starts, you are trying to find a way to use it in your best way, but you cannot predict what happens tomorrow," he said.
Kurds in Iran represent one of the country’s largest ethnic minorities and have historically maintained organized opposition movements.
Kurdish parties developed armed wings and political networks decades ago, giving them a level of organizational structure that many other Iranian opposition movements lack.
Jino Victoria Doabi, an international political analyst focused on Iran and Kurdistan, told Fox News Digital that "Kurds inside Iran have their own history and tradition of struggle and resistance with political parties and armed forces."
Doabi said that Kurdish forces are unlikely to move without clear backing from Washington.
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"For that to happen, they need assurance from America, both politically but also security-wise," Doabi said.
"Kurds have learned that they cannot just do it for the good cause anymore, because that's going to cause civilians a lot of pain and destruction and killings."
Discussions about the idea of Kurdish involvement may have been underway long before the recent escalation, according to Doabi.
"I don't think this has happened overnight," she said. "I think this has been discussed for a long time."
Despite the growing attention on Kurdish groups, Aliyar emphasized that Iraqi Kurdish authorities are not directly involved in any potential campaign.
"Iraqi Kurds are not part of it," he said. "I am not Iraqi, so I cannot comment on that."
Analysts say Kurdish insurgents alone are unlikely to topple the Iranian regime. But if internal unrest spreads and Kurdish forces coordinate with broader opposition movements, Iran’s western frontier could become a serious pressure point for Iran.
For Aliyar and other Kurdish leaders, however, the goal remains clear after decades of opposition to the Islamic Republic.
"We have had this desire for 47 years," he said. "If we get an opportunity, we will use it."