WASHINGTON AND ERBIL, Iraq — The CIA is reportedly coordinating with Kurdish groups in Iraq to arm them as part of a strategy aimed at encouraging a popular uprising against Iran’s government, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
The Trump administration has been in discussions with Iranian opposition figures and Kurdish leaders in Iraq to provide military support. Iranian Kurdish armed groups, numbering in the thousands, operate along the Iraq-Iran border, primarily within Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Some of these groups have issued public statements hinting at imminent action and urging members of Iran’s military to defect. In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday that it had targeted Kurdish forces with dozens of drone strikes.
According to sources, CIA support for Iranian Kurdish groups began several months prior to the escalation of the current conflict. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump reportedly spoke with Mustafa Hijri, president of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), one of the groups recently targeted by the IRGC. Kurdish opposition officials indicated that a ground operation in western Iran could take place in the coming days, with the expectation of U.S. and Israeli support.
Trump also reportedly held talks with Iraqi Kurdish leaders to coordinate U.S. military operations in Iran, including using Iraqi Kurdistan as a potential launching ground for Kurdish forces. Iraqi officials, however, have reiterated that groups will not be allowed to cross into Iran from their territory. The Kurdistan Region’s Interior Ministry has reportedly sent Peshmerga reinforcements to the border with Iran.
While the CIA declined to comment and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that U.S. objectives do not rely on arming any particular group, analysts say the move signals an effort to “jump-start” an uprising by providing Kurdish militias with arms. Experts warn, however, that arming Kurdish forces carries risks, including undermining Iraqi sovereignty and empowering militias with competing agendas and limited accountability.
Israeli military strikes along the Iraq-Iran border are reportedly ongoing and may intensify to support potential Kurdish operations in northwest Iran. Still, U.S. intelligence assessments suggest that Iranian Kurdish groups currently lack the influence and resources to mount a successful uprising on their own, and political assurances from the Trump administration are reportedly sought before they commit.
The Kurdish population, estimated at 25–30 million across Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Armenia, has a long history of complex relations with the United States. Past collaborations, ranging from anti-ISIS campaigns to promises of political support, have left some Kurdish leaders wary of U.S. commitments, citing inconsistent policies and fear of abandonment.
Despite these concerns, Kurdish opposition groups remain opposed to the Iranian regime, which they view as oppressive and destabilizing. Analysts caution that any failed uprising could further complicate regional stability, especially if U.S. and Israeli support is withdrawn prematurely.
The CIA has maintained a presence in Iraqi Kurdistan near the Iranian border, alongside U.S. consular and military personnel in Erbil. The agency’s long history with Kurdish forces includes cooperation during the Iraq War and operations against ISIS, though previous expectations of Kurdish political gains have not materialized.
As discussions continue, the potential arming of Kurdish forces in Iran represents a significant escalation in the region and underscores the high stakes of U.S. and Israeli strategies against the Iranian government.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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