Iranian Kurdish parties in Iraq face a delicate balance amid Iran attacks

Erbil, Iraq – Iranian Kurdish opposition parties have been on high alert since the United States-Israel strikes on Iran began on February 28. Their bases in the semi-autonomous Kurdish Region of Iraq and inside Iran itself have been thrust onto the front lines of the war.The possibility of Iranian Kurdish fighters entering the conflict to topple the Iranian government has also been widely discussed. Both US President Donald Trump and Israel have suggested that arming these fighters could tip the balance of power inside Iran, where Kurds make up about 10 percent of the population.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Saudi Arabia defends against drone strikes from ‘Iran-backed’ groupslist 2 of 4Iraq PM heads to Iran: Can Baghdad redefine its relationship with Tehran?list 3 of 4Gulf states come under Iranian fire as US strikes intensifylist 4 of 4Iraq’s prime minister carries the title, but not the powerend of listSeveral leaders of these parties have told Al Jazeera they command military formations and organisational structures inside Kurdish areas in Iran, in addition to headquarters and bases in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq.Kurdish groups from both sides of the bord...