Under threat, Iraqi Kurds resist pressure to Iran war

"Should their continued presence and plotting be permitted, or should these groups or [Zionist] regime elements enter the borders of the Islamic Republic through the Region, all facilities of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq...will be targeted on a massive scale. This Iranian Defense Council statement represents a direct threat to Kurdish infrastructure if the region becomes a staging ground for operations against Iran."

"They don't need hypersonic missiles to hurt us. 200 Shahed drones could cause a lot of damage here. We have no air defense systems. We don't have any ways to knock these things out of the skies. Kurdish officials articulate their military vulnerability and inability to defend against Iranian aerial attacks."

"Certainly, we are staying neutral as Iraqi Kurds because there is no clarity for us on what the U.S. policy is. Is it full regime change? Or just a change in personnel? Our assessment is there cannot be regime change without boots on the ground, and our assessment is that the U.S. is not sending boots on the ground."

Iraq's Kurdish government maintains a neutral stance amid escalating tensions between Iran and U.S.-Israeli forces. Iranian officials threatened massive retaliation against Kurdish-controlled regions if Iranian Kurdish militants or Israeli elements operate from Iraqi territory. Kurdish leaders express vulnerability, noting their lack of air defense systems against Iranian drone attacks. The Trump administration has signaled interest in Iranian regime change but provided no clear strategic direction to Kurdish partners. Kurdish officials remain uncertain whether U.S. policy aims for complete regime change or personnel changes, and assess that meaningful regime change would require ground forces the U.S. appears unwilling to deploy. This ambiguity leaves Kurdish leadership reluctant to commit support for potential military operations.

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