Kurdish opposition groups say they are ready to strike Iran amid US pressure

FIRST ON FOX: As U.S. and Israeli military pressure on Iran mounts, and President Donald Trump signals support for Kurdish forces, Kurdish opposition groups along the country’s western border told Fox News Digital they are looking forward to an opportunity to retaliate against the Islamic Republic, which they have fought for decades.

Kako Aliyar, a member of the leadership committee of the Kurdish opposition party Komala, told Fox News Digital that the Kurdish movement is ready to act if the conditions allow.

“The Kurds are waiting for a while to do something,” Aliyar said. “We believe that those times are not far from us.”

But Aliyar said the Kurdish forces will not be able to resist the regime because Iran still has the ability to launch missile and drone attacks, which the opposition will fight to defend.

Aliyar said Iranian forces continue to target Kurdish opposition bases across the border in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

Trump has signed support for Kurdish fighters who began attacking Iran, saying in a telephone interview with Reuters on Thursday that he would support the move.

“I think it’s great that they want to do that — I’d be all for it,” Trump said.

Asked if the United States would provide air cover for the Kurdish offensive, Trump declined to elaborate.

“I won’t tell you that,” she said.

Aliyar said Kurdish groups are under constant pressure from Iran and continue to be attacked on their bases across the border in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

“Our camps, the Kurdish political parties, are still under attack by the Iranian regime, and we cannot elaborate,” he said.

However, he pointed out that if the opportunity arises, the Kurdish fighters will try to return to Iranian territory.

“If we get a chance to return to our country, we will use it,” he said.

The Kurdish opposition shows unity

The comments come at a time when Iranian Kurdish opposition groups are trying to present a united state against Iran.

In February, several parties formed the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan, which includes parties including Komala, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), PJAK and the Kurdistan Freedom Party.

Aliyar said the coalition is still organizing itself but has an important political message.

“Politically, it is a big message for the Kurdish people inside the country and the international community that the Kurds are united,” he said. “We work together, and we try to reach our goals together.”

Kurdish groups have long been at war with the Iranian government. Armed conflicts between Kurdish militias and Iranian forces date back to the years following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Kurdish groups sought independence and were violently suppressed by Tehran.

Today, many Kurdish opposition groups operate in neighboring Iraqi Kurdistan, where they maintain political offices and a limited military presence.

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A general view of Tehran, Iran, with smoke visible in the distance after a reported explosion in the city, on March 2, 2026. (Contributor/Getty Images)

It is waiting for Iran’s military power to weaken

Aliyar suggested that the Kurdish forces will only be able to move if Iran’s military power is severely damaged.

“I believe that those missile and drone capabilities should be weakened or removed completely because we cannot defend against them,” he said.

Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones remains one of the regime’s strongest deterrents against internal or external challenges.

“They can still shoot missiles and they can still kill people,” Aliyar said.

If those capabilities are reduced, he believes Kurdish forces could try to exploit this opportunity.

“I think everyone has the power to do that because the Kurdish political parties have a lot of influence among the people,” he said. “People support them, people support us.”

However, Aliyar warned that no one can predict how events will unfold.

“When a war starts, you try to find a way to use it in your own way, but you can’t predict what will happen tomorrow,” he said.

The Kurdish opposition is rooted in decades of struggle

The Kurds in Iran represent one of the country’s smallest ethnic groups and have historically maintained organized opposition movements.

Kurdish groups have developed armed wings and political networks over the past decades, giving them a level of organizational structure that other Iranian opposition movements lack.

Jino Victoria Doabi, an international political analyst focused on Iran and Kurdistan, told Fox News Digital that “The Kurds inside Iran have their own history and culture of struggle and resistance against political parties and armed forces.”

Doabi said Kurdish forces are likely to leave without clear support from Washington.

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IRAN

A bombing occurred in Tehran, Iran on February 28, 2026. (Photos by Fatemeh Bahrami/Getty)

“For that to happen, they need assurance from America, politically but also in terms of security,” said Doabi.

“The Kurds have learned that they can no longer do that for a good reason, because that will cause the civilians a lot of pain, destruction and killing.”

Discussions about the idea of ​​Kurdish involvement may have been going on long before the recent escalation, according to Doabi.

“I don’t think this thing happened overnight,” he said. “I think it’s been discussed for a long time.”

Regional problems

Despite the growing attention of Kurdish groups, Aliyar emphasized that the Iraqi Kurdish authorities are not directly involved in any possible campaign.

“The Iraqi Kurds are not part of it,” he said. “I’m not Iraqi, so I can’t comment on that.”

Analysts say Kurdish rebels alone are unlikely to topple the Iranian regime. But if internal unrest escalates and Kurdish forces engage with broader opposition groups, Iran’s western border could become a major pressure point for Iran.

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A person holds a picture of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Iranian protesters protest US-Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 28, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)

For Aliyar and other Kurdish leaders, however, the mission remains clear after decades of opposition to the Islamic Republic.

“We have had this desire for 47 years,” he said. “If we get a chance, we’ll take it.”

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