Kurdish parties from Iran want ‘united front’ via improved communications

“We have agreed preliminarily to discuss these topics in the meetings and for them to be implemented through either statements or joint action," Kamil Nuranifard, a politburo member of the Organization of the Revolutionary Khabat Organization of Iranian Kurdistan (Khabat) told Kurdish media following Tuesday’s meeting.

They discussed ongoing protests in Iran, protecting the Kurdish language, among other topics.

"The spirit of wanting to establish a united front or coalition at the end is within these parties. But a lot needs to be done, especially dialogue and exchange of opinions," Qadir Salih, a politburo member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in Iran (HDK or PDK).

This was the third meeting for the five parties that formed their coordination center in early January with the goal of forming a united front following the protests that spread across Iran in late-December. 

“We mostly discussed that due to events in Iran, we have to have more cooperation,” confirmed Mustafa Mawludi, the secretary-general of HDK.

He explained that the lack of “fast and strong cooperation” is one of the key problems that they collectively have as Kurdish parties in Iran.

The parties need to improve in this area, because according to Mawludi “the suppression of the protests is [only] temporary because of the government’s inability to solve the problems of the Iranians.”

Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (HDKA or PDKI) also attended the meeting.

The coordination office, however, lacks some big players, such as the Iran-Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK). The PKK-linked PJAK previously has been in disagreements with other Iranian Kurdish parties, when PJAK leader Haji Ahmadi likened the leaders of the parties to idle “mares and horses” and called them lazy.

"There are no restrictions on anyone, and no one has been excluded. However, certain principles have been established for joining it [the coordination center]. If they have not heard it up to now we will notify them and work on it,” Salih Sharifi, a politburo member of Komala party.

The armed wings of the Kurdish parties operate in the mountainous border region between the Kurdistan Region and Iran. They have resumed their armed activities against Iran after almost two decades of ceasefire, promising to push closer to the Kurdish towns and cities in Iran — near their families.

Iranian Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alawi promised “a harsh response” after three Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members were killed near Piranshahr in January by PDKI fighters. 

In his recent visit to Iran, Iranian officials warned KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani that they would not accept insecurity on the border, in an apparent attempt to pressure the KRG into curtailing the activities of the parties.

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