Ankara, Turkey. Turkey said it is closely following the actions of the Iranian Kurdish PJAK militant group, warning they threaten Iran’s security and regional stability. The statement came amid reports of discussions between Iranian Kurdish militias and Washington about the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.
Turkey’s defence ministry statement
“The activities of groups that fuel ethnic separatism, such as the terrorist organization PJAK, negatively affect not only Iran’s security but also the overall peace and stability of the region,” Turkey’s defence ministry said at a weekly press briefing in Ankara.
It added that Turkey’s state institutions were closely following actions by the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), an outlawed militant group it said has links to the PKK, which Turkey, the U.S. and European Union designate as a terrorist group.
Reports of consultations with the United States
On Tuesday, sources told Reuters that Iranian Kurdish groups consulted with the U.S. about whether, and how, to attack Iran’s security forces in the western part of the country.
Turkey’s broader regional approach
Turkey, a NATO member and neighbour of Iran, is working on securing peace with the outlawed Iraq-based Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group. Ankara also backs the integration of Syrian Kurdish militants into Syria’s state systems and is unlikely to support collaboration with Iranian Kurdish militias by NATO ally Washington.
How do you think Turkey’s stance on PJAK could affect regional security dynamics?
