US, Kurds discuss possible military operation in Iran

In recent days, Iranian Kurdish militias have been consulting with the United States on whether to attack Iranian security forces in western Iran and, if so, how to carry it out,  three sources familiar with the situation, Reuters reports.

The Iranian Kurdish coalition, based along the Iran-Iraq border in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, is preparing for such an operation. The goal is to create conditions for a rebellion by Iranians opposed to the Islamic regime.

According to the sources, the militias have sought military support from the US, and Iraqi leaders in Erbil and Baghdad have also been in contact with the Trump administration in recent days.

Reuters has not been able to independently verify the extent of the CIA’s involvement in planning the operation, whether it assisted in delivering weapons, or whether any American forces planned to enter Iran alongside the Kurdish militias.

The CIA declined to comment. The White House, Pentagon, and the regional government of Kurdistan did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

By Khagan Isayev