“Kurds have been waiting for a moment to do something,” Aliyar said. “We believe those moments are not far away.”
But Aliyar said Kurdish forces cannot yet take action against the regime because Iran still has the ability to launch missile and drone attacks, which opposition fighters would find difficult to defend against.
Iranian Kurdish fighters from the Kurdish Freedom Party (PAK) take part in a training session at a base on the outskirts of Erbil, Iraq, February 12, 2026. (Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters)
Aliyar said Iranian forces continue to target Kurdish opposition bases across the border in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.
Trump expressed support for Kurdish fighters launching an offensive against Iran, saying in a telephone interview with Reuters on Thursday that he would support such a move.
“I think it’s great that they want to do that — I would be all for it,” Trump said.
When Trump was asked whether the United States would provide air cover for a Kurdish offensive, he declined to elaborate.
“I can’t tell you that,” he said.
Aliyar said Kurdish groups remain under pressure from Iran and continue to face attacks on their bases across the border in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.
“Our camps, the Kurdish political parties, are still under attack by the Iranian regime, and we cannot go into details,” he said.
Still, he indicated that if the opportunity arose, Kurdish fighters would try to return to Iranian territory.
“If we have the opportunity to return to our own country, we will take it,” he said.
The Kurdish opposition signals unity
The comments come as Iranian Kurdish opposition groups try to form a united front against Iran.
In February, several factions formed the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan, bringing together parties such as Komala, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), PJAK and the Kurdish Freedom Party.
Aliyar said the coalition is still organizing itself, but is sending an important political message.
“Politically, it is a huge message for the Kurdish people in the country and for the international community that the Kurds are united,” he said. “We work together and we try to achieve our goals together.”
Kurdish groups have long been fighting the Iranian government. Armed clashes between Kurdish militants and Iranian forces date back to the years following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Kurdish factions sought autonomy and were violently suppressed by Tehran.
Today, many Kurdish opposition groups operate from neighboring Iraqi Kurdistan, where they have political offices and limited armed forces.
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A general view of Tehran, Iran, with smoke visible in the distance after explosions were reported in the city, March 2, 2026. (Contributor/Getty Images)
Waiting for Iran’s military capabilities to weaken
Aliyar suggested that Kurdish forces could only move if Iran’s military capabilities were significantly compromised.
“I believe that these missile and drone capabilities must be further weakened or completely removed because we cannot defend against them,” he said.
Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones remains one of the regime’s strongest deterrents against internal and external challengers.
“They can still launch missiles and still kill people,” Aliyar said.
If these capabilities were reduced, he believes the Kurdish forces could try to exploit this moment.
“I think everyone is capable of doing that because Kurdish political parties have enormous legitimacy among the people,” he said. “People support them, people support us.”
However, Aliyar warned that no one can predict how events will unfold.
“When a war breaks out, you try to find a way to use it in the best way, but you can’t predict what will happen tomorrow,” he said.
The Kurdish resistance is rooted in decades of struggle
Iran’s Kurds represent one of the country’s largest ethnic minorities and have historically maintained organized opposition movements.
Kurdish parties developed armed wings and political networks decades ago, giving them a level of organizational structure that many other Iranian opposition movements lack.
Doabi said it is unlikely that Kurdish forces will move without clear support from Washington.
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IRAN
On February 28, 2026, bombings take place in Tehran, Iran. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Getty Images)
“For that to happen, they need America’s security, both politically and security-wise,” Doabi said.
“Kurds have learned that they can no longer just do it for the good cause, because that will cause a lot of pain, destruction and killings for civilians.”
According to Doabi, discussions about the idea of Kurdish involvement may have been going on long before the recent escalation.
“I don’t think this happened overnight,” she said. “I think this has been talked about for a long time.”
Regional complications
Despite the growing attention to Kurdish groups, Aliyar emphasized that the Iraqi Kurdish authorities are not directly involved in a possible campaign.
“Iraqi Kurds are not part of it,” he said. “I’m not Iraqi, so I can’t comment on that.”
Analysts say Kurdish insurgents are unlikely to topple the Iranian regime alone. But if internal unrest spreads and Kurdish forces cooperate with broader opposition movements, Iran’s western border could become a serious pressure point for Iran.
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A person holds an image of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Iranian demonstrators protest the US-Israeli attacks in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)
For Aliyar and other Kurdish leaders, however, the goal remains clear after decades of opposition to the Islamic Republic.
“We have had this desire for 47 years,” he said. “If we get an opportunity, we will take advantage of it.”
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