EditTrump’s shift on Kurds reshapes Iran crisis and Turkey’s security strategy
Kurdish forces are increasingly seen not as fixed allies but as flexible variables in the power balance involving the U..S, Israel, Turkey, and Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent public criticism of Kurdish groups signals a significant change in Washington’s rhetoric toward Kurdish actors in the Middle East. This comes amid rising tensions with Iran, which are altering the region’s security landscape.
Trump accused certain Kurdish organisations of withholding weapons supposedly intended for anti-government protesters in Iran. He stated, “The Kurds keep taking, taking, taking,” and challenged the widespread view in the US Congress that Kurdish forces are reliable and effective American partners.
Contrast with previous stance
These comments stand in sharp contrast to Trump’s earlier position. Just a few months ago, he called the Kurds “important partners” and suggested that Kurdish forces moving from northern Iraq into Iran could serve US strategic interests.
The shift reflects growing uncertainty about the role of Iranian Kurdish armed groups. Recent reports highlight increased contacts between Western and Israeli entities and these groups, which operate from the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq. Tehran sees them as potential tools for external destabilization.
Kurdish caution
Kurdish leaders themselves are showing greater caution. Political circles in northeastern Syria have warned Iranian Kurds not to rely too heavily on American promises. They cite the experience of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), where US policy toward Syria has shifted repeatedly.
Ahmed Barakat, leader of the Kurdish Progressive Democratic Party in Syria, called the Syrian Kurds’ experience a “painful lesson.” He warned that turning Iranian Kurdish groups into frontline actors against Tehran could ultimately harm the broader Kurdish movement.
Not a blanket attack
Importantly, Trump’s remarks target specific Iranian Kurdish armed groups active along the Iran-Iraq border – not the Kurdish people as a whole. US policy toward Kurds is not uniform: cooperation with Syrian Kurds against ISIS differs markedly from any potential use of Iranian Kurdish groups to pressure Tehran.
Broader regional context
The Kurdish issue has become entangled with Israeli regional strategies following the Syrian war. Some analysts in Turkey and elsewhere viewed the strengthening of Kurdish structures in northeastern Syria as part of a plan to decentralize or federalize the area, thereby weakening the Damascus-Tehran axis. However, recent Arab states’ rapprochement with Damascus and shifting US priorities have reduced the likelihood of that scenario.
Impact on Turkey’s strategy
These developments directly influence Turkey’s “Terror-Free Turkey” strategy. Ankara aims to enhance domestic and regional security by curbing the influence of the PKK and affiliated organisations.
For Turkey, the possible activation of Kurdish armed groups against Iran presents a dilemma:
- Ankara opposes any strengthening of Kurdish military structures in the region, even if aimed at Iran.
- At the same time, a weakened Iranian influence could create new opportunities for Turkish expansion and regional power.
Trump’s comments also send an indirect message to Ankara: Washington is reassessing its stance on certain Kurdish groups amid evolving realities.
This confrontational rhetoric has increased uncertainty among Kurdish political and military leaders, who have long depended on Western support.
Overall, the Kurdish question is entering a more fluid geopolitical phase. Kurdish forces are increasingly seen not as fixed allies but as flexible variables in the power balance involving the US, Israel, Turkey, and Iran. Washington’s approach now appears driven more by short-term priorities than by long-term partnerships.
The original commentary in Greek by the editor of our partner agency IBNA Spiros Sideris can be found here.
Caption: Peshmerga (Kurdish for “those who face death”) are the official military forces of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq. They serve as the primary defence and security force for the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. [@K24English on X]
Updated: May 12, 2026 - 13:42
