Iran has 5 million, there are 4 million in iraq and over. Sep 19, 2017 israel sees benefits in an independent kurdistan the jewish state is the only country so far backing a kurdish state, hoping it will serve as a bulwark against islamic extremism. A small republic of russia recently fell under attack by isis terrorists. Kurdistan human rights network khrn is a nonpolitical, independent and nonprofit organization established in france in 2014 by a group of lawyers and human rights activists. Mar 12, 1970 baghdad, iraq, march 11 the iraqi government to night recognized the autonomy of the kurdish people within the iraqi state, and declared a national holiday tomorrow to celebrate the event.
Iraq recognizes kurdish autonomy the new york times. It includes the kurdistan province, kermanshah province, west azerbaijan province, ilam province, lorestan province and west azerbaijan province. Home kurdistan politics kurdistan government could support autonomy for iraqs yazidis posted on february 24, 2017 by editorial staff in politics, yazidis bayan sami abdul rahman, iraqi kurdistan government representative to the united states. The economic case against an independent kurdistan the. Irans leaders opposed kurdish independence vote in iraq. Aug 18, 2015 kurdistan straddles the borders of iran, turkey, iraq, armenia and syria. With recent revolutions and ongoing civil wars that continue to change the landscape of the region, the kurds have found themselves playing an increasingly important role in the middle east. Some clashes between kurds and iraqi army garrisons occur.
The kurdistan region of iran has always been considered a threat to the existence of the islamic republic of iran, which is mainly because of regions particular. Turkish attacks 2007 october turkish parliament gives goahead for military operations in iraq. They are doing this because they perceive kurdish autonomy. Israel sees benefits in an independent kurdistan the jewish state is the only country so far backing a kurdish state, hoping it will serve as a bulwark against islamic extremism. Oct 31, 2017 iran closes its border with iraqi kurdistan to protest at the detention of an iranian by us troops. The kurdish problem and possible solutions new eastern outlook. This democratic autonomy entails a restructuring of society. Nov 18, 2019 the support iran supplied to the iraqi kurds against isis in 2014 is a distant memory, overshadowed by irans contribution to the more recent iraqi conquest of makhmour. Most of the kurds 16 million are in southeast turkey. Turkey doesnt want is knock the door in their country and kurdish peshmerga forces have the capacity and might to stop the is from aggression and that is what happening now. Its never a good time for the iraqi kurds to become. While the result would be nonbinding and may not lead to immediate autonomy, opponents say a win for yes, which analysts predict, could spark civil war and fuel kurdish autonomy movements.
We have no issue with autonomy for them, abdul rahman said during a talk at the hudson. Oct 27, 2017 kurdistan or greater kurdistan is a roughly defined geocultural region wherein the kurdish people form a prominent majority population and kurdish culture, languages and national identity have. In turey there are 20 million kurds that live in second class conditions in southeastern turkey. The support iran supplied to the iraqi kurds against isis in 2014 is a distant memory, overshadowed by irans contribution to the more recent iraqi conquest of makhmour.
Over the past few months, though, solutions to the latter impediment have been gaining traction. Ethnic kurds make up nearly 9 percent of irans population of 80 million people, and iran had fought for years against a variety of kurdish groups seeking regional autonomy. Jul 29, 2016 iran will use its influence in iraq and in the kurdistan regional government to prevent krgbased kurdish groups from causing too much trouble. The support iran supplied to the iraqi kurds against isis in 2014 is a distant memory, overshadowed by iran s contribution to the more recent iraqi conquest of makhmour. On the eve of mondays referendum on the future of iraqi kurdistan, iranian armed forces conducted a significant military drill on the border between iran and iraq as tehran warned the kurds not to move forward with the plebiscite. The pjak goal is an establishment of a kurdish autonomy and according to habeeb they do not pose any serious threat to the regime of the islamic republic. During the iraniraq war in 198088, kurds fought on both sides, although the separatist kurdish democratic party and patriotic union of kurdistan backed by iran carried out acts of sabotage in northern iraq. The isis invasion has physically cut off most of kurdistan from the rest of shiitedominated iraq and encouraged the iraqi kurds in their drive for expanded autonomy. On february 10 on the iraniraq border clashes occurred and a buildup of iranian troops was reported.
Iran does not want to lose everything it has achieved with the iraqi kurds over the past 40 years, pashang stressed, referring to iranianiraqi kurdish military and political cooperation during the iraniraq war in the 1980s, and in the common struggle. A lot of kurdish children dont go to school because they have to support their families. Founded in 1945, it was one of the political parties banned by the shah after the 1953 coup, and the kurdish movement was driven underground. Are turkey and iran teaming up against an independent kurdistan. Heres the one thing iran wants from an independent iraqi. Iranian officials have already blamed the uptick of border violence on saudi meddling, although there does not appear to be any evidence substantiating those claims.
Their homeland, kurdistan, is currently occupied by turkey, syria, iran and iraq, although kurds in iraq enjoy autonomy under the krg, with their own police force and armed forces known as. Rojhilate kurdistane, is an unofficial name for the parts of western iran inhabited by kurds which borders iraq and turkey. In 1988, iraq used chemical weapons to drive kurds into turkey. Iraq will end all kurdish autonomy pm wants absolute control over borders, oil shipments jason ditz posted on october 30, 2017 categories news tags iraq, kurdistan. Washington, iraqs kurdistan regional government krg, which is controlled by kdp party leader massoud barzani, not opposed to autonomous areas for iraqs yazidi kurds and christian minorities, krg representative to the united states bayan sami abdul rahman said on thursday. Democratic party of iranian kurdistan dpki terrorist. Aug 21, 2017 iran has continually pushed back against kurdish independence as has turkey. Iran and syria, the history of the kurds in iraq has been one of oppression and constant struggle. The oppression of the kurds and possible solutions middle. Kurdistan would serve as buffer against iran washington. Iraqi kurds expand autonomy as isis reorders the landscape.
Despite the autonomous regions governmental institutions, genuine selfrule did not exist in kurdistan in 1988. Irans anxiety over kurdish autonomy in iraq is compounded by its fear that saudi arabia or the u. Jul 11, 2014 it is likely due to the below reasons. Ultimately, the expert believes that the main line of iranian policy toward kurdistan will be cooperation with the young state. Kurdistan government could support autonomy for iraqs yazidis. Iran does not want to lose everything it has achieved with the iraqi kurds over the past 40 years, pashang stressed, referring to iranianiraqi kurdish military and political cooperation during the iran iraq war in the 1980s, and in the common struggle against.
India neither support the kurds in their conflict against isis nor to help them achieve independence. As far as i know, india has been always tried to stay as much as possible neutral. Founded in 1945, it was one of the political parties banned by the shah after the 1953 coup. Irans warming relations with the pkk could destabilize. In iraqi kurdistan, momentum builds for an iranian pipeline. Iran has voiced its opposition to a decision by iraqs autonomous kurdish region to hold a referendum on independence, saying the vote would lead to. Sep 26, 2016 irans anxiety over kurdish autonomy in iraq is compounded by its fear that saudi arabia or the u. According to tehran, the council took that step after baghdad requested it to do so. Israel sees benefits in an independent kurdistan the. Are turkey and iran teaming up against an independent. They are made up of many tribal groups located primarily in the middle and northern zagros mountains and the upper reaches of the tigris and euphrates in an area referred to as kurdistan, which stretches across turkey, iran, iraq and syria.
Iraqi kurdistan first gained autonomous status in a 1970 agreement with the iraqi government, and its status was reconfirmed as an autonomous entity within the federal iraqi republic in 2005. The kurdish problem and possible solutions new eastern. Information about kurdistan broadly defined geographic region traditionally inhabited mainly by kurds. Though the islamic states core territory is now shrinking, its rapid rise as a global enemy and its quick territorial expansion in 20 and 2014 shook the middle east, instigating a series of. Kurdish region of iran map, history and news the kurdish. Iranian kurdistan, also known as eastern kurdistan, is the unofficial name given to a region in western iran inhabited by kurds. As kurdish autonomy increases in the 21stcentury in iraq, violent kurdish action against the state continues to. Baghdad, iraq, march 11 the iraqi government to night recognized the autonomy of the kurdish people within the iraqi state, and declared a national holiday tomorrow to celebrate the event. On march 10, iran s consul general in sulaimaniyah said tehran would soon award a tender for the construction of a pipeline that would enable the krg to export its oil from. On march 10, irans consul general in sulaimaniyah said tehran would soon award a tender for the construction of a pipeline that would enable the. Iran is a key ally of the government in baghdad and has urged the international community to maintain iraqs territorial integrity. Kurdistan is a roughly defined geocultural region wherein the kurdish people form a prominent majority population, and kurdish culture, language, and national identity have historically been based. Apr 14, 2016 iraqi kurdistan has long smuggled oil exports through iran without baghdads blessing and without a pipeline to carry them.
As of 2015, the party for free life in kurdistan pjak is an active political and militant organization, based on the iraqiran border, that is pushing for kurdish autonomy in the iranian provinces of kordestan, kermanshah and west azerbaijan. Aug 30, 2014 the isis invasion has physically cut off most of kurdistan from the rest of shiitedominated iraq and encouraged the iraqi kurds in their drive for expanded autonomy. Demographic engineering and population alteration in. Iran s anxiety over kurdish autonomy in iraq is compounded by its fear that saudi arabia or the u.
Other cases have shown that the implementation of successful autonomous. Iraq s semiautonomous kurdistan region made history this week by voting yes in a highly contested referendum on independence from the central government in baghdad. Iran has continually pushed back against kurdish independence as has turkey. Separately, the pkks iranian branch, the party for a free life in kurdistan, ended hostilities against the iranian regime in 2011, suggesting a honeymoon of sorts with tehran. Both countries fear a free and independent kurdistan will enable their large kurdish populations to push for increased autonomy. It includes the west azerbaijan province, kurdista n province and kermanshah province kurds generally consider. Iran seeks to destroy that goal, but an autonomous kurdistan would serve as a buffer to iranian aggression. Although sometimes described as organization demanding more human rights for kurds in iran, it is regarded as separatist by iranian media and various western analysts. Sep 26, 2017 iran is a key ally of the government in baghdad and has urged the international community to maintain iraqs territorial integrity. Demographic engineering and population alteration in iranian. The kurds are a people with a history that stretches back more than years. Aware of this fact, different ruling regimes of iran, considering territorial threats associated with the kurdish nationalistic movement, implemented different policies of systematic demographic engineering, aimed at reducing the capability of the kurdish claim for autonomy.
Tehran also seeks to undermine the krgs autonomy from the iraqi central government in baghdad, where tehran exerts sizable influence. Iran criticizes independence vote in iraqs kurdistan region. The economic case against secession rests largely on oil. Kurdistan or greater kurdistan is a roughly defined geocultural region wherein the kurdish people form a prominent majority population. Sep 24, 2017 while the result would be nonbinding and may not lead to immediate autonomy, opponents say a win for yes, which analysts predict, could spark civil war and fuel kurdish autonomy movements. And to achieve this, we first have to struggle for the democratic autonomy of kurdistan, and then to spread it to the rest of the region. Kurdish separatism in iran or the kurdishiranian conflict is an ongoing, long running, separatist dispute between the kurdish opposition in western iran and the governments of iran, lasting since the emergence of reza shah pahlavi in 1918. The school system in kurdistan is a part of the iranian education system. Kurdistan straddles the borders of iran, turkey, iraq, armenia and syria. Kurdistan would serve as buffer against iran washington times.
The central government in baghdad continued to exercise tight control by reserving to itself the power to make all decisions in matters pertaining to justice, to police, to internal security, and the administration of the frontier areas. Would iran support an independent kurdistan separating from iraq. Because kurdish autonomy serves as a middle ground protecting the interests of the kurdish parties, the central government in baghdad, as well as iraqs neighboring countries, it is the most viable policy for iraqi kurdistan today. The democratic party of iranian kurdistan is a political party that seeks the attainment of kurdish national rights within a democratic federal republic of iran. As of 2015, the party for free life in kurdistan pjak is an active political and militant organization, based on the iraq iran border, that is pushing for kurdish autonomy in the iranian provinces of kordestan, kermanshah and west azerbaijan. We have a struggle that took 40 years, and within this process all the social values and norms in kurdistan have been drastically transformed. May 20, 2016 kurdistan is currently divided between four countries. Iran closes its border with iraqi kurdistan to protest at the detention of an iranian by us troops. Kurdistan is currently divided between four countries. This book, by eliza egret and tom anderson, gathers together firsthand accounts of the struggles for a new society taking place in bakur and rojava the. A regional conference of kurds from turkey, iran, syria and iraq to discuss how to advance kurdish autonomy had been due to take place in irbil last week, but was postponed. Ethnic kurds make up nearly 9 percent of iran s population of 80 million people, and iran had fought for years against a variety of kurdish groups seeking regional autonomy. The oppression of the kurds and possible solutions. This book, by eliza egret and tom anderson, gathers together firsthand accounts of the struggles for a new.
To this day, the relationship between the kurds of western iran and the iranian government remains tense. Meanwhile, irans supreme national security councilthe entity in charge of crafting and communicating the countrys security strategyannounced that it would halt all flights to and from the kurdistan regions major airports, sulaymaniyah and erbil. Would iran support an independent kurdistan separating. Contemporary use of kurdistan refers to large parts of eastern turkey turkish kurdistan, northwestern iran iranian kurdistan, northerneastern iraq iraqi kurdistan, and a smaller part. Democratic party of iranian kurdistan pdki and komala party of iranian kurdistan. Meanwhile, irans supreme national security councilthe entity in charge of crafting and communicating the countrys security. Heres the one thing iran wants from an independent. The kurdish people have a long history dating back long before the current borders of the middle east were created. Iran does not want to lose everything it has achieved with the iraqi kurds over the past 40 years, pashang stressed, referring to iranian iraqi kurdish military and political cooperation during the iran iraq war in the 1980s, and in the common struggle against. The kurdistan region of the republic of iraq kri is a constitutionally recognized semiautonomous region in northern iraq with a population of 5.
Turkey, iran, iraq and syria are strictly against independent. In iran it takes 12 years to obtain a high school diploma, which allows you to apply for universities. Iraqi kurdistan has long smuggled oil exports through iran without baghdads blessing and without a pipeline to carry them. Iran will use its influence in iraq and in the kurdistan regional government to prevent krgbased kurdish groups from causing too much trouble. In each of the parts of kurdistan, kurdish identities and cultures have been repressed for generations. Israel sees benefits in an independent kurdistan the times. The idea of creating an independent kurdistan has been crystallizing for years. Sep 21, 20 a regional conference of kurds from turkey, iran, syria and iraq to discuss how to advance kurdish autonomy had been due to take place in irbil last week, but was postponed. It consists of an extensive plateau and mountain area, spread over large parts of what are now eastern turkey, northern iraq, and western iran and smaller parts of northern syria and armenia. Will iran embrace iraqi kurdistans independence vote. The kurdistan region encompasses most of iraqi kurdistan but excludes. The shah definitely would like to undermine the autonomy agreement but is wary about nationalist demands of iraqi kurds spread. Why iran fears iraqs kurds the iraq crisis while obama and other countries rush to defend the kurds, iran is worried that if they gain their independence, and iraq breaks up, iran might be next.