US President Donald Trump has pledged American military support for a Kurdish uprising inside Iran, signalling a dramatic escalation in a conflict that is already spreading across the Middle East.
According to a report by the Washington Post, Mr Trump told leaders from Kurdish communities in Iran and Iraq that US fighter jets would provide “extensive air cover” if Kurdish forces attempted to seize territory in western Iran. The move could open a new front in the war as fighting enters its sixth day.
The president has repeatedly urged Iranians who oppose the leadership in Tehran to rise up. In recent days he called on citizens to “take over your government” while US and Israeli strikes continue against Iranian targets.
At the same time, intelligence officials are preparing further steps. Sources told CNN that the Central Intelligence Agency is planning to arm Kurdish forces in an effort to spark a wider rebellion against the Iranian regime.
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The developments come amid mounting speculation that Israeli air strikes in western Iran may be aimed at weakening Iranian positions ahead of a possible Kurdish advance from neighbouring areas.
A coalition of Kurdish groups has already issued a call urging Iranian military units stationed in the region to defect and join an uprising.
The war has quickly widened beyond Iran’s borders. Tehran retaliated against earlier US and Israeli strikes by launching missile attacks against several Gulf states that host American military bases, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The Kurdish question has long been one of the most complex issues in Middle Eastern politics. The Kurds are an ethnic group of about 30 to 40 million people living across Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. For decades, Kurdish communities have pushed for greater autonomy or independence, leading to tensions and conflict with several governments in the region.
Despite those struggles, the Kurdish population itself is not classified as a terrorist group. Instead, governments have designated specific militant organisations.
The most widely recognised example is the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, founded in 1978. The group has fought a long insurgency against the Turkish state and is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.
Membership or financial support for the PKK is a criminal offence in those countries.
However, other Kurdish forces have worked closely with Western allies. In northern Iraq, the Peshmerga operate under the government of the Kurdistan Region and have fought alongside US-led coalitions in several conflicts.
During the war against Islamic State, Kurdish fighters played a central role in battles across Iraq and Syria, helping to drive the extremist group from major cities and territories.
Analysts say the current conflict risks reshaping regional politics if Kurdish forces attempt to seize land inside Iran. Such a move could trigger wider instability across borders where Kurdish populations already live and could deepen tensions between major powers involved in the war.
For now, the promise of US air support suggests Washington may be prepared to back Kurdish forces more openly than at any time in recent years, a decision that could have far-reaching consequences for the region.
