Kurds Wary of Joining US-Israel Conflict Against Iran

Iraqi Kurds express concerns about facing Iranian retaliation alone without US support

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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According to reports, Iraq's Kurds are staying neutral in the recent US-Israeli conflict against Iran, fearing they could face retaliation from Tehran without ground or air defense support from Washington. The Kurds have had negative experiences in the past acting as proxies for the US, and they are unsure if the current conflict aims for full regime change in Iran or just a change in leadership.

Why it matters

The Kurds have historically served as key US proxies in conflicts in the region, but their reluctance to join the latest confrontation with Iran highlights the trust issues and abandonment fears they have faced from Washington in the past. Their neutrality could impact the broader dynamics of the US-Iran conflict.

The details

According to a senior official from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the Kurds are "staying neutral" as there is no clarity on whether the US is aiming for full regime change in Iran or just a change in leadership. The Kurds reportedly do not believe regime change is possible without a US ground invasion, which they do not expect. Meanwhile, Israel has been more aggressive in pushing Iranian Kurds to join the conflict.

  • The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran last Saturday.
  • The CIA began working to arm Kurdish forces hostile to Iran after the US-Israel attacks.

The players

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)

The semi-autonomous regional government of Iraqi Kurdistan.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States.

Amir Karimi

Co-chair of the Kurdistan Free Life Party, the Iranian wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party.

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What they’re saying

“The Kurds must not be the tip of the spear in this conflict.”

— Senior KRG official (Axios)

“In the past, two major uprisings were not supported”

— Amir Karimi, Co-chair of the Kurdistan Free Life Party (Axios)

“We have trust issues from the past”

— Kurdish official (Axios)

The takeaway

The Kurds' reluctance to join the US-Israel conflict against Iran highlights the trust issues and abandonment fears they have faced from Washington in the past, which could impact the broader dynamics of the confrontation between the US and Iran.