The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Erbil (Hewlêr), led by the Barzani clan’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), has begun withholding the renewal of residency permits for members of Iranian Kurdish (Rojhilatî) political parties, effectively disrupting their activities within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).
For nearly three months, the KRG has prevented individuals from extending their residency permits, significantly affecting their movement within the KRI, as reported by Mehr News Agency. This measure is linked to a security agreement signed in March 2022 by Iran and Iraq, which includes the disarmament of Kurdish political parties.
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy for International Affairs of the Judiciary, announced last month that nearly 120 individuals designated as “terrorists” are to be extradited from Iraq, with their trials scheduled to begin soon. This development has heightened pressure on Iranian Kurdish parties.
When street protests surged in Iran and Iranian Kurdistan following the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini by morality police in Tehran, the Islamic Republic accused the Iranian Kurdish parties of orchestrating these demonstrations.
Reza Ka’bi, Secretary General of the Kurdistan Labourers Party (Komala), said the pressures from the Islamic Republic and its demands on the Iraqi authorities form part of a broader strategy of suppression and warfare against Kurdish parties and the Kurdish people.
In addition, sources in the KRG have reported increased pressure on Iranian Kurdish parties in areas controlled by the KDP. The KDP has also ceased financial support to Hossein Yazdan Panah, Secretary General of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), reflecting a shift in regional dynamics.
The KRG’s actions align with broader policies dictated by Iran and Turkey. Experts suggest that the KRG, particularly the Erbil administration, is compelled to follow these policies to maintain power and benefit from the informal oil trade with these countries. This collaboration or compliance involves either cooperating with Turkey or enforcing Iran’s directives against the Iranian Kurdish parties.
Following the 2017 referendum on Kurdish independence, Iran and Turkey resolved to address the issue of Kurdish political parties independently of major powers, fearing that inaction could lead to their diminishing control.
