Five Kurdish Iranian groups announce new alliance in Erbil
By Bosphorus News Staff
Five Kurdish Iranian opposition groups announced on February 22 in Erbil that they have formed a new umbrella alliance aimed at coordinating political action against Iran’s ruling system, according to multiple regional and international reports.
The alliance was introduced as the Alliance of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan. The member groups were listed as Partiya Demokratîk ya Kurdistanê-Îran-PDK-Î (Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan), Partiya Jiyana Azad ya Kurdistanê-PJAK (Free Life Party of Kurdistan), Sazumanî Xebata Kurdistanê-Îran (Kurdistan Organization of Labor–Iran), Partiya Azadî ya Kurdistanê-PAK (Kurdistan Freedom Party), and Komeleya Zehmetkêşan ya Kurdistanê (Kurdistan Workers Association).
The groups said the bloc is meant to create a common political framework and strengthen coordination. Kurdish outlets described the move as the product of talks aimed at narrowing internal differences.
Terrorism designations vary by jurisdiction. PJAK is listed by the United States Treasury as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity, a sanctions category separate from the US State Department’s Foreign Terrorist Organization list.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry describes KCK as the same organisation as the PKK and says KCK is referred to as PJAK in Iran. In the Turkish government text reviewed, that explicit linkage was not found for the other four groups named in the Erbil announcement.
The other named groups are not listed on the European Union’s terrorism list or the United Kingdom’s proscribed organisations list in the official documents reviewed. Iranian authorities have long described some Kurdish opposition groups as terrorist organisations in public statements and official messaging, including PDK-Î and Komala related currents.
The Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq responded by restating that the Kurdistan Region should not be used as a platform to threaten neighboring countries. KRG officials said they would not allow activity that could destabilize the region.