Trump calls with senior Iraqi Kurdish leaders have drawn fresh attention to the potential role of Kurdish forces as the US-Israel war with Iran unfolds.
According to sources cited by Axios, US President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Sunday with leaders from Iraq’s two main Kurdish factions to discuss the conflict and possible next steps.
Talks with Barzani and Talabani
Trump held separate conversations with Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani, a day after the bombing campaign began, two sources said.
One source described the calls as “sensitive” and declined to provide further details.
Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), confirmed on Tuesday that he discussed the war with Trump. In a party meeting, he said Trump clarified US objectives in the current conflict, according to a PUK statement.
Netanyahu’s lobbying efforts
The calls reportedly followed months of behind-the-scenes lobbying by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel has maintained close security, military and intelligence ties with Kurdish groups in Syria, Iraq and Iran for decades. One official said Netanyahu believes Kurdish forces could “rise up” as the conflict develops.
The same official claimed Netanyahu presented detailed plans during earlier White House discussions, outlining potential Kurdish involvement and possible political successors in Iran.
Asked about the Trump’s Kurdish calls, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to comment on specifics, stating that the president has been in contact with multiple regional allies and partners.
Strategic Kurdish position
The Kurds control strategic territory along the Iran-Iraq border and maintain thousands of fighters in the region. Iraqi Kurdish authorities govern an autonomous region in northern Iraq, established after the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.
Kurdish fighters, known as peshmerga, have extensive combat experience from conflicts in Iraq and from battles against ISIS in Syria. Analysts note that ground forces with such experience could significantly influence developments if the conflict widens.
In recent days, the Kurdistan Freedom Party, a Kurdish-Iranian opposition group based in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, accused Iran of launching missile and drone strikes against its positions.
Six days before the war began, five dissident Kurdish groups in Iraq announced the formation of the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan to oppose Tehran.
Regional friction and uncertainty
The Kurdish issue remains complex. The group maintains tense relations with Turkey, a NATO ally of the United States. Trump has also held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to sources.
Tensions have also surfaced between the newly formed Kurdish coalition and an Iranian exile group led by former crown prince Reza Pahlavi.
While some US policy-makers believe Netanyahu may have overestimated the scale of a potential Kurdish uprising, officials acknowledge that Kurdish involvement could still shape both the war and any post-war political landscape in Iran.
Source: Axios
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