Kurds loyal to US may be America’s boot on ground in Iran

The Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in northern Iraq are preparing for a possible cross-border military operation targeting Iran, according to Kurdish officials who spoke to The Associated Press.

Reportedly, the United States has asked Iraqi Kurds for support, officials said, as tensions involving Iran continue to escalate.

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Kurdish organizations are widely considered among the most organized elements of Iran’s fragmented opposition movement. Analysts believe these groups command thousands of trained fighters, giving them the potential to open a new front against Iran’s leadership if they enter the conflict.

Such a development could significantly challenge authorities in Tehran. However, it could also increase the risk of drawing neighboring Iraq deeper into regional hostilities.

Khalil Nadiri, an official with the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), which operates in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, said that some of the group’s forces have been repositioned closer to the Iranian border. According to Nadiri, units have moved into areas near the frontier in Sulaymaniyah province and remain on standby as the situation evolves.

He also said that the leaders of Kurdish opposition groups were contacted by the US officials about a potential operation.

No official confirmation of the reported outreach has been released by the US authorities.