Iraq’s Kurdistan Emerges as Critical Frontline Amid Iran Conflict
Exiled Iranian Kurds Brace as Iraq’s Kurdistan Becomes Key Frontline in Tehran Conflict By Kurdish Policy Analysis Erbil, Iraq, March 27 — As the war between Iran, the U.S., and Israel intensifies, Iraq’s Kurdish region has become a pivotal battleground. Iranian Kurdish groups, long exiled, are cautiously preparing for a potential power vacuum in Tehran while facing relentless attacks from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. Thousands of Iranian Kurds in Iraq harbor hopes of returning home, contingent on the fall of Iran’s theocracy. Many fled decades ago from Kermanshah and other Kurdish-majority provinces, seeking refuge in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region. Despite decades of resettlement, they remain marginalized—lacking full civil rights and security guarantees. Armed Kurdish opposition groups, including the PAK, Komala, and Khabat factions, are mobilizing along the Iranian border but face severe constraints. Lacking drones, air support, and modern weaponry, these forces rel...