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The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is working to arm Kurdish opposition forces to spark an uprising inside Iran as the U.S.-Israeli military campaign continues.
Iranian Kurdish militias are consulting with the United States about a potential ground operation against Tehran's security forces in western Iran, according to multiple sources who spoke to CNN.
Iranian Kurdish militias based on the Iran-Iraq border in the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) have consulted with the United States in recent days about whether and how to attack Iran's security forces in the western part of the country, according to three sources with knowledge of the matter cited by Reuters.
The coalition of Kurdish groups has been training to mount such an attack in hopes of weakening Iran's military as the United States and Israel pound Iranian targets with bombs and missiles.
"The goal would be to create room for Iranians opposed to the Islamic regime to rise up now that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other top officials have been killed since the strikes began Saturday," two of the sources said.
"A final decision has not yet been made on the operation and its possible timing," the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military planning.
The groups have requested U.S. military support, and Iraqi leaders in Erbil and Baghdad have also been in touch with the Trump administration in recent days.
"The forces are in talks with the United States about CIA help to provide weapons," two of the sources said.
CNN reported on the CIA's involvement with the groups and the potential ground operation. Axios reported this week that U.S. President Trump held a telephone call with two of the Iraqi Kurdish Region's top leaders.
An Iranian Kurdish source told CNN that some armed opposition groups were planning operations in Iran's west and were expecting support from the United States and Israel.
The possibility of Kurds in the region capturing a specific area to create a "buffer zone" for Israel was also reportedly under discussion.
Any operation from Iraq would probably require significant U.S. military and intelligence support.
The Pentagon says two U.S. bases in Erbil have supported the international coalition fighting the Daesh terrorist group.
A source cited by CNN said, "the plan would be for Kurdish armed forces to take on Iranian security forces to make it easier for an uprising of unarmed Iranians in the country's cities."
PJAK is designated as a terrorist organization by Türkiye and Iran. It is widely recognized as the Iranian branch of the PKK terrorist organization and is linked to the Qandil-based leadership structure.
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