Report: CIA Plans to Arm Kurdish Forces to Spur Uprising in Iran, as Trump Holds Talks with Iraqi Leaders

The United States is weighing expanded support for Kurdish armed groups as part of broader efforts to increase pressure on Iran, according to multiple sources familiar with discussions inside Washington and the region.

Officials and regional sources say the CIA has been engaged in conversations with Iraqi Kurdish leaders and Iranian Kurdish opposition figures about the possibility of providing assistance that could enable coordinated action along Iran’s western border. The discussions reportedly began months before the current escalation in hostilities.

Iranian Kurdish armed factions operate primarily in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region near the Iran-Iraq frontier. 

In recent days, several of these groups have issued statements suggesting that developments inside Iran may create an opportunity for renewed resistance activity. 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has responded with drone strikes targeting Kurdish positions, saying it acted against armed elements near the border.

Trump’s Outreach to Kurdish Leaders

Amid rising tensions, President Donald Trump held phone calls Sunday with two of Iraq’s most influential Kurdish leaders—Masoud Barzani of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Bafel Talabani, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). 

According to regional officials, the discussions focused on the evolving US-Israel confrontation with Iran and potential coordination as the situation develops.

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which borders Iran and hosts US forces, plays a strategically sensitive role in regional security calculations. 

Kurdish Peshmerga forces are widely regarded as among the most organized armed groups in Iraq and were key partners of the United States during the fight against ISIS.

Sources familiar with the contacts say any effort to facilitate support for Iranian Kurdish groups would require cooperation from Iraqi Kurdish authorities, particularly for logistical transit. 

One senior Kurdistan Regional Government official described the situation as “extremely delicate,” citing fears of retaliation and regional instability.

Possible Objectives and Risks

People briefed on the discussions say one idea under consideration is whether Kurdish forces could engage Iranian security units along border areas, potentially stretching Tehran’s resources. 

Others suggest the goal would be to create conditions that reduce pressure on civilian protest movements inside major Iranian cities.

However, US defense officials have publicly downplayed the notion that American strategy hinges on arming a specific group. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that US objectives are not dependent on supporting “any particular force,” while declining to address intelligence matters directly. The CIA has not commented.

Analysts note that Kurdish opposition factions in Iran are fragmented and have historically faced internal divisions. 

US intelligence assessments have long indicated that, on their own, Iranian Kurdish groups lack the capacity to significantly alter the balance of power inside Iran without sustained external backing.

Former US officials have cautioned that such a move could carry serious consequences. Some warn that empowering armed groups might undermine Iraqi sovereignty or complicate relations with Baghdad, which has reiterated it will not allow its territory to be used for cross-border attacks.

Tehran Signals Concern

Iranian authorities have publicly expressed alarm over what they describe as “terrorist movements” near the Iraqi border. 

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently held a phone call with Bafel Talabani, emphasizing the need for closer security coordination between Tehran and Iraqi Kurdish authorities.

The warning came after reported strikes on facilities linked to Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in northern Iraq. 

Regional observers say the timing suggests Tehran is closely monitoring diplomatic contacts between Kurdish leaders and Washington.

A Complicated History

The United States has maintained a long, complex relationship with Kurdish forces across Iraq and Syria, particularly in counterterrorism campaigns. 

While Kurdish fighters have often partnered with Washington, some Kurdish officials privately express concern about the reliability of US commitments over the long term.

“There is strong opposition among many Kurds to Iran’s current leadership,” one regional official said. “But there is also fear of being left exposed if circumstances change.”

As tensions between Washington and Tehran intensify, the role of Kurdish forces—both inside Iraq and across the border in Iran—appears increasingly central to regional calculations. 

Whether the discussions translate into concrete action remains uncertain, but diplomatic and security contacts are expected to continue in the coming days.
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