Former Israeli intel chief: Erdoğan influenced Trump decision on Iran plan

Former head of Israeli military intelligence Tamir Hayman has claimed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan persuaded US President Donald Trump to abandon a Kurdish-led operation that was reportedly intended as an initial step in a broader US-Israeli strategy targeting Iran.

Hayman said the plan involved Kurdish groups operating in the region, though he did not provide further operational details in an interview with PBS.

Reuters previously reported in March that Iranian Kurdish militias had been in contact with US officials regarding possible attacks on Iranian security forces in western Iran and how such operations could be carried out.

According to that report, Kurdish factions based along the Iran-Iraq border in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq have been preparing for potential operations aimed at encouraging internal opposition to Iran’s government.

By Sabina Mammadli