CIA working to arm Kurdish forces to spark uprising in Iran, sources say [View all]

Source: CNN Politics

Updated Mar 3, 2026, 5:01 PM ET
PUBLISHED Mar 3, 2026, 4:52 PM ET


The CIA is working to arm Kurdish forces with the aim of fomenting a popular uprising in Iran, multiple people familiar with the plan told CNN. The Trump administration has been in active discussions with Iranian opposition groups and Kurdish leaders in Iraq about providing them with military support, the sources said.

Iranian Kurdish armed groups have thousands of forces operating along the Iraq-Iran border, primarily in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Several of the groups have released public statements since the beginning of the war hinting at imminent action and urging Iranian military forces to defect. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been striking Kurdish groups and said on Tuesday that it targeted Kurdish forces with dozens of drones.

Also on Tuesday, President Donald Trump spoke with the president of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), Mustafa Hijri, according to a senior Iranian Kurdish official. KDPI was one of the groups targeted by the IRGC.

Iranian Kurdish opposition forces are expected to take part in a ground operation in Western Iran, in the coming days, the senior Iranian Kurdish official told CNN. “We believe we have a big chance now,” the source said, explaining the timing of the operation. The source added the militias expects US and Israeli support.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/03/politics/cia-arming-kurds-iran

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OMFG this is pouring gasoline on the fire.

Almost a year ago, the PKK in Turkey after 40 years of fighting, finally came to an agreement to disarm when Turkey offered some concessions - Conflict Between Turkey and Armed Kurdish Groups

We basically abandoned Syria after the Kurds there helped to run Assad off. Now we're going to rile up yet another faction.