The Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan: Risks and Opportunities

The Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan: Risks and Opportunities

Lara Jalal examines the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan, formed on 22 February 2026 by five Kurdish opposition parties in Rojhilat. She presents the alliance as the product of repeated upheaval: the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom uprising, the 2025 war, and the deadly crackdown of January 2026. Its charter puts Kurdish self-determination, democratic governance that protects minorities, and gender equality at the centre.

Jalal points to the parties’ experience of organising general strikes, their armed experience and their cross-border reach as sources of strength, and notes that two Komala factions stayed outside the alliance. She sets out the main risks: weak internal coordination, possible Turkish military action, mobilisation against Kurds by other groups, pressure on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and rivalry with the monarchist opposition.

She concludes that a unified coalition would be well placed if the Islamic Republic collapses, and that even if the regime survives the alliance marks a historic shift in Kurdish politics in Iran. She recommends lobbying Western governments, closer coordination between Kurdish movements across the region, and alliances with Iran’s other marginalised communities.

Full article

Read the full article on the Kurdish Peace Institute

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