U.S. attitude to the Kurdish question reflects colonial mindset, says Nilufer Koc

The Kurdish community of West Asia that has been waging a political and armed struggle in Iran and Turkiye would require concrete assurances from the United States about future of politics in Iran before considering the proposal to join the U.S.-Israel fight against Iran, said a spokesperson of the Kurdistan National Congress, a coalition of Kurdish groups and diaspora. Speaking to The Hindu from Brussels over phone, Nilufer Koc, spokesperson for Foreign Relations Committee of the KNC, said the U.S. made the proposal about Kurdish fighters without broader consultation with the Kurds and that the Trump administration’s approach to the Kurdish issue reflects a “colonial” attitude.

“The U.S. government talks about bringing down the Islamic Republic of Iran. But for us, the bigger question is: what will replace the current state of Iran? Will the next regime recognise the rights of the Kurdish people? That’s the main question,” said Ms. Koc, referring to the chatter around the U.S. intention to expand the current military campaign by inducting anti-Iran Kurdish fighters.

Iran-Israel war LIVE

Speaking about the Kurdish question inside Iran, she said that the countries that have incorporated historic Kurdish region of West Asia – Syria, Iraq, Iran and Turkiye – have denied political and cultural rights to the Kurds and that Iran too have not given space for its Kurdish communities. It is because of these historic injustices that the Kurds have been fighting in Iran, said Nilufer Koc.

“Fighting is nothing new for us. The question is will the future political dispensation of Iran allow education in mother tongue as that is a part of human rights. Persian language should not be imposed on all ethnic groups of Iran and that is a very important issue for us,” she said. The Kurds have a number of armed groups fighting for their rights against central governments in Turkiye, Syria, Iran and Iraq and the Kurdistan Free Life Party of Iran has been known as the leading voice for Kurdish rights within Iran.

In recent years, the Kurdish issue has received some positive attention especially after Turkiye initiated dialogue with Kurdish group, PKK, that has been demanding release of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been in prison since February 16, 1999. There are also concerns that activation of Kurdish fight against Iran might send a negative signal to Turkiye, complicating the dialogue that had started in early 2025. Responding to a question on whether starting a Kurdish front in U.S.-Israel vs Iran war would help the overall Kurdish cause, Ms. Koc said, “Our interests are important and we definitely want Ocalan to be freed” and expressed frustration about the slow pace of constitutional changes in Turkiye.

Ms. Koc referred to the use of the Kurdish issue by the U.S. during the toppling of the Saddam Hussein government in 2003 and said, “The U.S. needs to deepen dialogue with us. This sort of declaration about involving Kurdish groups in ground fighting in Iran reflects a colonial mindset.” She further said that, ultimately, the Kurds require democratisation of the countries where they inhabit. Iran has a Kurdistan province and recognises the language of the Kurds, but Ms. Koc said Tehran needs to allow greater use of the Kurdish language and avoid “Persianisation” of the Kurdish people as Kurds have their own history and heritage.