[US-Iran War] Kurds Emerge as a Game Changer... Possibility of a Proxy War

White House Denies Support for Kurdish Armed Groups
Reports from CNN and The New York Times Suggest Possible Covert Aid
through Unofficial Channels such as the CIA

Kurdish armed groups have emerged as a major variable in the conflict between the United States and Iran. There are observations that these groups, which have maintained a military presence around Iran for a long time, may covertly cooperate with the U.S. government to wage a "proxy war." Some analysts also suggest that, as Iranian forces respond to unexpected attacks by Kurdish groups, the U.S. and Israel may seize effective opportunities to strike.

On the 27th of last month (local time), members of the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PDKI) affiliated with Iran were standing at a checkpoint leading to a base in the Koya area of Erbil province, Iraq. Photo by AP Yonhap News

On March 4 (local time), AFP reported that the Iranian government struck the headquarters of Kurdish organizations located in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In an official statement, the Iranian government directly stated that it targeted "groups opposed to the revolution in Iraqi Kurdistan." Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's National Security Council, also warned, "Separatist groups should not act impulsively just because the wind is blowing gently."

According to AFP, the attack came after reports that the U.S., in cooperation with the Kurds, had launched a ground operation aimed at Iran. Iranian Kurdish armed groups are known to operate thousands of troops in the border regions between Iraq and Iran, especially within the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

On the same day, Fox News in the U.S. reported, citing a U.S. government official, that thousands of Kurdish fighters had crossed from Iraq into northwestern Iran to launch a ground offensive. Quoting sources familiar with the matter, Fox News stated that these forces are believed to be Iranian Kurdish militias seeking to incite a larger-scale uprising against remnants of the Iranian regime.

The U.S. government maintains that it is not officially supporting Kurdish armed groups. On March 4, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated during a briefing that the U.S. military does not provide weapons to insurgent forces within Iran. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also admitted on the same day that "President Trump has indeed spoken with Kurdish leaders," but emphasized, "Reports that the President has agreed to Kurdish plans for an uprising inside Iran are completely untrue."

Instead, it is suspected that other U.S. agencies may be involved unofficially behind the scenes. CNN reported that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has decided to arm Kurdish militias to encourage insurgency within Iran and is actively engaging in dialogue with anti-government groups inside Iran and Kurdish leaders in Iraq.

According to The New York Times, senior officials from Kurdish organizations inside Iran told the paper that, as part of previous covert programs aimed at destabilizing Iran, the CIA had supplied small arms to Iranian Kurdish rebels, and that such efforts began before the current conflict.

With the likelihood of U.S. ground troop deployment considered low, Kurdish armed groups are expected to become a significant variable. President Trump has said he "would not hesitate to deploy ground forces," but there is the painful memory of more than 7,000 U.S. troops killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Domestic warnings have also been raised that deploying ground troops could lead to a "quagmire."

The New York Times reported, "Attempts by the U.S. to support Kurdish incursions into Iran or internal rebellions will act as unpredictable factors in the war," adding, "If such efforts become significant, Iranian forces would be compelled to respond, potentially providing the U.S. or Israeli air forces with opportunities to strike."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.