‘Kurds seek a democratic Iran; we do not fight other powers’ wars’, says Iranian Kurdish party Premium

PJAK emphasizes its autonomy in the fight for a democratic Iran, rejecting involvement in external conflicts, says co-chair Peyman Viyan.

The Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), an armed Kurdish militant group in Iran, said the Kurds would not fight other powers’ wars and said the Iranian state needs to change its behaviour or else it is heading towards collapse.

The PJAK, which is aligned with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) of Turkiye, has sought greater autonomy for the Kurdish region in Iran (‘Eastern Kurdistan’). The group recently came under the spotlight as U.S. President Donald Trump said he would welcome Kurdish militants in Iran joining the war against the Iranian state. The U.S. and Israel launched the war on February 28, by striking Tehran and killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Mr. Trump later ruled out Kurdish involvement but there were reports in American media that Iranian Kurdish groups were getting support from the U.S. and Israel.

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“We do not act according to any other power. We ourselves will do what is necessary and we will make the necessary decisions accordingly,” PJAK co-chair Peyman Viyan told The Hindu in an interview when asked about Mr. Trump’s comments. “Of course, we have relations with all powers. But as the parties of East Kurdistan, we will definitely make our own decisions. We will do what serves the interests of our people,” said Ms. Viyan.

Asked whether the Kurdish groups were getting support from Israel and the U.S., she said: “No one has helped us. We have been leading a struggle against the Iranian regime for years with our inherent strength.”

The PJAK, which has fought intermittent armed struggle against the state, said, “time has come for the Iranian state to change... If it does not try to change itself and insist on its policies, it will be changed in some way.”