CIA-backed Kurdish militias could topple Iranian regime: report

Kurds control significant territory in western Iran and could lead a broader anti-regime coalition.

By World Israel News Staff

Kurdish separatist groups are seeking support from the CIA to carry out an operation to overthrow the Islamic regime in Tehran, according to a Reuters report.

The Kurds, an ethnic group of roughly 40 million people indigenous to the Middle East, do not have their own state. However, in western Iran they maintain control over a wide swath of territory in what functions as a semi-autonomous region.

According to Reuters, Kurdish militias could potentially lead a coalition of Iranians of various ethnicities who oppose the Islamic government and help overthrow it. Such a mission, however, would require substantial CIA support, including weapons and strategic guidance on timing.

A senior Iranian Kurdish leader told CNN that the groups see a window of opportunity to topple the regime.

“We believe we have a big chance now,” the source said, adding that the Kurds would need assistance from the United States and Israel to achieve their goals.

Kurdish groups in neighboring Iraq — where Kurds also maintain a semi-autonomous state — are reportedly participating in discussions with the U.S. intelligence agency.

According to Axios, President Donald Trump recently held a phone call with Kurdish leaders based in Iraq, presumably to discuss the potential for an operation to oust Iran’s Islamic government.

National security analyst and former senior Pentagon official Alex Plitsas told CNN that the CIA is “clearly trying to jump-start” regime change in Iran by exploring options for arming the Kurds.

“The Iranian people are generally unarmed as a whole, and unless the security services collapse, it’ll be difficult for them to take over unless someone arms them,” Plitsas told CNN. “I believe the U.S. is hopeful that this will inspire others on the ground in Iran to do the same.”

Plitsas warned that a failed operation would have serious consequences for the Kurds and could further strain their relationship with Washington, which has long been marked by disappointment from the Kurdish perspective.

Historically, while the United States has armed and trained Kurdish forces at times, it has not intervened directly to protect them. Kurdish populations have faced genocide and persecution over the years, including massacres carried out by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in the 1980s.

“There is a concern that if an uprising is unsuccessful and the US withdraws, it will add to the narrative of abandoning the Kurds,” said Plitsas.