Syria Kurds warn Iran Kurds: Don't trust US like we did—they'll abandon you. Lessons from Sharaa betrayal as Iranian fighters eye Tehran attacks.
Why Are Syria's Kurds Warning Iran's Kurds: "Don't Trust America Like We Did"? (Image: File)
Kurdish residents of northeast Syria delivered a stark warning Sunday to their ethnic kin across the border in Iran: don't ally with America against Tehran, because Washington will abandon you just like they abandoned us. The urgent plea comes as Iranian Kurdish militias in northern Iraq huddle with US officials plotting potential strikes into western Iran amid relentless American and Israeli airstrikes on the Islamic Republic. Syria's Kurds, still reeling from January's devastating loss of their autonomous zone, see their fate as a flashing red caution sign.
Syrian Kurds partnered with the US over a decade ago to crush ISIS, carving out a semi-autonomous zone from the jihadi wasteland. But when President Ahmed al-Sharaa's forces swept through in January, capturing most Kurdish-held territory, Washington urged merger with Damascus instead of intervention. "Tomorrow, if an agreement is made between them and the Iranians, they will eliminate you," Qamishli resident Saad Ali told Reuters. "Do not make our mistakes."
Iranian Kurdish fighters based in Iraqi Kurdistan have consulted Washington about attacking Iranian security forces in the war-torn west. President Trump called it "wonderful" Thursday before reversing Saturday, saying he doesn't want Kurds entering Iran. Syria's Kurds insist Iranian fighters demand ironclad guarantees first. "We had a negative experience with the Americans," said 26-year-old Amjad Kardo. An Iranian Kurdish source confirmed they seek similar assurances after watching Syria's drama unfold.
Ahmed Barakat, head of Syria's Kurdish Progressive Democratic Party, urged "extreme caution" against becoming America's spearhead against Tehran. "Accepting the invitation of the United States... is not in the best interest of the Kurds of Iran," he cautioned. Israel separately courts Iranian Kurdish insurgents from Iraqi Kurdistan, but Syria's Kurds speak from fresh wounds—Sharaa's offensive caught them pleading for US help that never materialized.
Kurds—mostly Sunni Muslims speaking Farsi-related languages—span Armenia, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey in a mountainous arc. Iraq grants them a regional government across three northern provinces, but dreams of autonomy crash against Ankara, Tehran, and now Damascus. A century after Ottoman collapse redrew their map into fragments, Syria's Kurds warn Iran's fighters that US promises evaporate when strategic winds shift.
A: US abandoned them during January Sharaa offensive after decade-long ISIS partnership.
A: Firm signed guarantees for their regions' future before fighting Iranian regime.
A: Called it "wonderful" Thursday, reversed Saturday saying no Kurds into Iran.
A: Ahmed Barakat, Syria Kurdish Progressive Democratic Party head.
Disclaimer: This information is based on inputs from news agency reports. TSG does not independently confirm the information provided by the relevant sources.
