Officials in Iraq’s Kurdish autonomous region say their forces will not participate in military operations against Iran despite circulating reports suggesting possible involvement.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Officials from Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) rejected reports Thursday suggesting Kurdish forces were preparing to enter Iran as part of the expanding regional conflict triggered by the U.S. military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury.
The denials came after rumors circulated in international media claiming Kurdish armed groups were preparing to launch a ground offensive against the Iranian government following significant U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian military infrastructure.
President Donald Trump ordered the start of Operation Epic Fury last weekend, targeting strategic Iranian facilities and military leadership positions. The campaign has struck numerous military installations, including some reported nuclear facilities, and resulted in the deaths of several senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Following reports that multiple Iranian government and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leaders had been killed, speculation emerged that Kurdish factions might move into Iranian territory. Kurdish communities are spread across Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, and various Kurdish political and military organizations operate in those regions.
The Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq maintains its own security forces, known as the Peshmerga, which have previously partnered with the United States in combat operations against the Islamic State terrorist group.
KRG President Nechirvan Barzani issued a public statement rejecting suggestions that Kurdish forces would participate in the conflict.
“We reaffirm that the Kurdistan Region will consistently serve as a cornerstone of peace and will not engage in any conflict or military escalation that jeopardizes the lives and security of our people,” Barzani said in remarks reported by Kurdish outlet Rudaw.
Hemin Hawrami, a senior official with the Kurdistan Democratic Party, echoed that message while addressing speculation that Iraqi Kurdish forces might support Iranian Kurdish militant groups.
“We are not a part of this war & our goal is to preserve, maintain peace and security of our region & beyond,” Hawrami said.
Separate Kurdish organizations operating in Iraq and Iran have also responded to the reports.
Khalil Nadiri of the Kurdistan Freedom Party stated that some Kurdish fighters had repositioned forces closer to the Iranian border but emphasized they had not crossed into Iranian territory. Nadiri confirmed the movement during comments cited in reporting by KMBC.
Earlier in the week the Kurdistan Freedom Party had denied any troop movements toward Iran.
In Iran itself, Kurdish political groups also rejected claims that fighters had already entered the country.
The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan told Rudaw that reports describing Kurdish forces moving into “Eastern Kurdistan,” a term often used for Kurdish regions within Iran, were inaccurate.
“None of our forces have entered the territory of Eastern Kurdistan,” the group said in comments published by Rudaw, adding that the reports appeared intended “to create divisions within the coalition of East Kurdistan forces.”
Another Iranian Kurdish organization, Komala, similarly disputed reports that its fighters had crossed into Iran but stated the group remained prepared for potential developments.
Komala officials said they had forces “waiting for the grounds to be suitable” for action, though no confirmed movement into Iran had been reported.
Political coordination among Iranian Kurdish groups has recently intensified. Several Kurdish parties have formally joined together under a new umbrella organization known as the Alliance of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan, a development announced in a joint statement published by the coalition on the website of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan.
While Kurdish organizations have denied taking part in direct military action, some leaders have voiced rhetorical support for opposition to the Iranian government.
Mustafa Hijri, leader of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, released a public message calling on Iranian military personnel to abandon the government’s security forces.
“I call upon all aware and freedom-seeking soldiers and personnel across Iran, and especially in Kurdistan, to abandon the barracks and military centers of the IRGC, the army, and other military forces of the regime,” Hijri said. “To refuse their assigned duties, and to return to the embrace of their families.”
The claims about Kurdish involvement appear to stem from a wave of anonymous reports published earlier in the week suggesting that the Trump administration had explored potential cooperation with Kurdish fighters inside Iran. Those reports alleged that U.S. intelligence agencies were considering arming Kurdish forces for operations against the Iranian regime.
The White House has not confirmed those claims.
During a press briefing earlier this week, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt acknowledged ongoing diplomatic discussions with regional partners amid the escalating conflict.
“President Trump has been in contact with many allies and partners in the region throughout the past several days,” Leavitt said in comments reported by Iran International.
Despite the circulating rumors, Kurdish authorities in Iraq reiterated Thursday that their region would not participate in military operations against Iran and intends to remain outside the expanding conflict.