Iran’s regional concerns intersect with the PKK. It uses the terror group to undermine Türkiye's influence, pressure the KDP in Northern Iraq, and facilitate a terror corridor between Syria and Iraq for Shia militants.
Iran’s regional concerns intersect with the PKK. It uses the terror group to undermine Türkiye's influence, pressure the KDP in Northern Iraq, and facilitate a terror corridor between Syria and Iraq for Shia militants.It was Qasem Soleimani, the slain commander of the Quds Force, who allowed the PKK to settle in the Qandil mountains that span across Türkiye, Iraq and Iran.
While Iran supports the PKK in Iraq against other Kurdish factions, in Syria — where the US exercises more influence on the PKK/YPG terror structure — Tehran has different calculations. The Sinjar mountain range in Iraq is also populated by these terrorists, as Iran supports them by giving money, weapons, vehicles, spaces to hide, as well as buildings and facilities to settle into, Agar says. More importantly, he says, “The PKK gained legitimacy in Sinjar due to Iran’s efforts.”
The areas they put pressure on the terrorist structure are Deir ez Zor, Raqqa, Hasekeh and Baghuz basins, even as the Central Euphrates basin sees intensified clashes between the PKK and Arab tribes.That is because “the PKK in Iraq is closer to Iran, while the YPG/PKK in Syria is closer to America”, Agar explains.
However, the effect of Iran’s backing of PUK is not limited to Northern Iraq, as the Sulaymaniyah region where the PUK is based, is used as a corridor to allow Shia militants to cross into Syria. PUK hosts PKK terrorists coming from Syria and gives them military training. As the complex network of relations are revealed, where the PKK influence in Iraq ends and where its influence in Syria begins get blurred.
This way, the PKK is used as a tool both by Iran and the US, despite both having different strategies, Agar says.
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