Exclusive - Kurdish Opposition Party Says Politics, Arms Needed in Dealing with Tehran

Exclusive - Kurdish Opposition Party Says Politics, Arms Needed in Dealing with Tehran
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Exclusive - Kurdish Opposition Party Says Politics, Arms Needed in Dealing with Tehran

Exclusive - Kurdish Opposition Party Says Politics, Arms Needed in Dealing with Tehran

Since the formation of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region government in 1992, two anti-Iran parties, the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan and the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), decided to suspend their armed activities against Iranian forces. They took the decision to respect the political situation in the Kurdish region and avoid giving Tehran the excuses to expand into the area.

In return, ruling parties in Kurdistan continued to provide financial support to the two anti-Iran opposition Kurdish parties.

Komala has posts based in mountainous terrain north of Sulaymaniyah, and the KDPI is based in the city of Koy Sanjaq, Erbil Governorate.

Over time, divisions led the KDPI to split into the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, led by Mustafa Hijri, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK), led by Mostafa Mouloudi. Komala, meanwhile, split into three branches.

These parties stayed away from arms for 15 years, up until two years ago when the KPDI resumed its armed operations deep inside Iran. It has over the years dealt heavy blows to positions of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards that are deployed heavily in the Kurdish regions in Iran. The Iranian regime retaliates by assassinating KDPI leaders and fighters inside the Kurdistan region.

Komala, until this very day, maintains a military silence, despite having a significant number of trained and armed fighters with medium and light weapons at their disposal.

Association for Human Rights in Kurdistan of Iran (KMMK) official and Komala offshoot leader Omar Alikhanzadeh said that his party resumed armed activity against Iran from 2009 until late 2013, but found it “futile and useless when compared to political and civil action.”

“We are now adopting a large-scale political project aimed at mobilizing masses politically and offering wider prospects for anti-Iranian political action,” Alikhanzadeh told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Working to form an entity which has both military and political wings operating inside Iranian territory, Alikhanzadeh said that the Komala plans further training and rehabilitation of military forces in border areas.

Despite using charged rhetoric, Alikhanzadeh said that the time for direct confrontation with the Iranian regime has not yet come.

He elaborated further by saying that Komala-linked fighters lack an elemental strategic depth, proper logistics, and financial support.

Over more, he said that Kurdish opposition members have also suffered pressure practiced by the Iraqi Kurdistan government, which has cut off all funding to opposition parties.

Speaking on toppling the Iranian regime, the official said it has to be a public choice taken and carried out by Iranians with no external drivers.

“The collapse of the Iranian is inevitable. The Iranian public disagrees with the regime structure, especially over its blatant involvement in spurring regional chaos, instead of focusing on internal affairs, such as the deteriorating living standards.”

Summing up recent riots in Iran, Alikhanzadeh said that the regime’s shortcoming has instigated an unprecedented wave of rejection and discontent against the rulers of Tehran.

As for the prospects of rapprochement between conflicting Komala offshoots Alikhanzadeh said that there is hope.

“We recently formed a center for joint cooperation between all the opposing Kurdish forces and parties. We outlined joint efforts, especially on working together to topple the current Tehran regime and replace it with a democratic alternative instead.”



Russian Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Mining Concessions Dependent on Ukraine Talks Progress

Alexander Ionov, a member of Russia’s Human Rights Council under President Vladimir Putin (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Alexander Ionov, a member of Russia’s Human Rights Council under President Vladimir Putin (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Russian Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Mining Concessions Dependent on Ukraine Talks Progress

Alexander Ionov, a member of Russia’s Human Rights Council under President Vladimir Putin (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Alexander Ionov, a member of Russia’s Human Rights Council under President Vladimir Putin (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Amid statements made by US President Donald Trump regarding the future of agreements brokered by Riyadh over the Russia-Ukraine crisis, a Russian official has expressed Moscow's readiness to make concessions on certain raw materials and mining activities under US negotiation.

However, the official linked these concessions to the outcomes of talks in Riyadh.

Alexander Ionov, a member of Russia’s Human Rights Council under President Vladimir Putin, revealed that the Russian side supports establishing relations with the US.

According to Ionov, Russia is willing to make concessions on certain raw materials and mining activities, but everything depends on the negotiations concerning Ukraine.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Ionov pointed out that if progress is made in US-Russia understandings on Ukraine, and results are seen regarding the lifting of sanctions, that could potentially be the key to establishing normal, positive relations.

However, so far, Trump’s rhetoric remains purely political, with no concrete steps taken.

Regarding the potential inclusion of European Union countries in Ukraine-related negotiations at some stage, Ionov said that the negotiations are progressing, but the Ukrainian side is seeking to garner European support and set its own terms, which conflict with the views of both Russia and the US.

The White House is frustrated with Kyiv’s rhetoric, and Trump’s team is exerting significant pressure.

Ionov continued to say that everyone is waiting for the Black Sea agreement, reached by the Russian and US delegations, to come into effect.

However, it’s clear that this deal will only be effective after a ceasefire. In the meantime, Kyiv is losing territory, while Russia has liberated the Kursk region.

According to Ionov, European countries are eager to join the negotiation process, but for obvious reasons, they cannot be full participants. They support the Ukrainian scenario of autonomy, which means maintaining Ukraine’s territory as it stood in 1991.

He pointed out that leaders from many countries, especially France and the UK, have called for NATO peacekeeping forces to be deployed in Ukraine.

This is unacceptable to Russia, affirmed Ionov.

In general, we see an aggressive stance from European leaders who are willing to continue investing in this direction.

Ionov believes that US President Donald Trump wants to expedite the signing of a peace agreement on the Ukraine conflict, as he sees it as part of his election campaign.

However, the EU and Ukraine are slowing down the process, coupled with significant tensions in negotiations between the US and Russian delegations, with little progress made.

On the effectiveness of sanctions imposed on Russia, Ionov argued that Trump should find the real culprit in this whole matter, rather than threaten to impose restrictions on Russian oil.

In general, this will not have much impact on Russia’s economy, as the main consumers of Russian raw materials are not in the West, but in the East, confirmed Ionov.

Additionally, Russia has much greater influence over OPEC than the US. Saudi Arabia is actively cooperating with Russia and Venezuela on the oil market, and the US can do little about it at this point.

In reality, the Russian side supports building relations with the US, and it is willing to make concessions on certain raw materials and mining activities. But everything depends on the negotiations concerning Ukraine.

As for Saudi- Russian relations, Ionov reaffirmed that Russia engages with the Saudi people with warmth and kindness. Much work is being done at the official level, as Saudi Arabia is a key partner for Russia in the Middle East, he added.

Russian-Saudi cooperation shows a shared effort in developing the regional security framework, as well as advancing projects in humanitarian cooperation.

Ionov hoped the Kingdom will continue its efforts in developing joint energy projects with Russia and will participate in the BRICS alliance.